Chennai: The city of Chennai is painted all black and white to welcome the guests for the biggest global chess championship–44th Chess Olympiad–set to begin in the city on Thursday. Following this, the first grand championship event in Chennai and the second event in India after 2013 received tweets of celebrities and national leaders cheering for the event.
On Thursday, PM Modi said, "I am looking forward to being in Chennai for the inauguration of the 44th Chess Olympiad at 6 PM tomorrow (Thursday) evening."
"This is a special tournament and it is our honour that it is being held in India, that too in Tamil Nadu, which has a glorious association with chess," he said.
Sachin Tendulkar said, "The World Chess Olympiad is taking place in the birthplace of chess! It's a momentous occasion for India."
"Wishing the entire Indian contingent & everyone taking part all the very best for the tournament," he said.
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In a tweet, Rajinikanth said, “#ChessOlympiad2022 An indoor game I love the most … wishing all the chess minds the very best .. god bless.”
Last week, Rajinikanth also hosted Indian chess grandmaster Praggnanandhaa and wished him the best.
Meanwhile, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, Telangana CM Chandrasekhar Rao, Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai among other Chief Ministers wished the players for Chess Olympiad 2022.