The first-ever Chess Olympiad Torch Relay reached the city of Guwahati in Assam on Sunday.

In Guwahati, Minister of Sports and Youth Welfare of Assam, Bimal Borah received the torch from Grandmaster Mitrabha Guha at Sarusajai Sports Complex. “From July 28-August 10, the chess olympiad will be organised.

The torch relay is traversing 75 cities across the nation. It’s a happy occasion for us to have torch relay reach here,” said the minister at the torch relay event.
“1st Ever #ChessOlympiadTorchRelay Update City- GUWAHATI: 10th July Hon. Minister of Sports & Youth Welfare, Govt of Assam @BimalBorah119 received the torch from GM Mitrabha Guha at Sarusajai Sports Complex #India4ChessOlympiad #AmritMahotsav@FIDE_chess @himantabiswa,” tweeted SAI Media.

Earlier on Sunday, the torch relay reached Shillong.
Grand Master Mitrabha Guha received the torch in presence of eminent dignitaries.

“1st Ever #ChessOlympiadTorchRelay Update City- SHILLONG: 10th July GM Mitrabha Guha takes the Torch forward at SAI STC, Shillong in presence of eminent dignitaries,” tweeted SAI Media.

Earlier, the torch reached Gangtok and Siliguri on Friday.
Kunga Nima Lepcha, Minister of Sports, Govt Of Sikkim received the torch at Sikkim Manipal University. GM Mitrabu Guha took the Torch forward in Gangtok in presence of eminent dignitaries.

Other cities that have been covered so far include Leh, Jammu, Srinagar, Dharamshala, Shimla, Chandigarh, Patiala, Amritsar, Panipat, Gurugram, Kurukshetra, Dehradun, Haridwar, Meerut, Kanpur, Kevadia, Ahmedabad, Dandi, Surat, Jaipur, Daman, Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Panaji, Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior and Jhansi.

The torch relay was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The torch began its relay from Leh.

The torch will travel to 75 cities for 40 days before it culminates at Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu. Over 200 countries are participating in the Chess Olympiad. Chess grandmasters will receive the torch at various identified venues.

This year, for the very first time, the International Chess Body, FIDE, instituted the Chess Olympiad Torch which is part of the Olympic tradition but was never done in the Chess Olympiad. India is the first-ever country to have the Chess Olympiad Torch Relay.

The 44th edition of the world’s biggest chess event will be held in Mahabalipuram near Chennai from July 28 to August 10.

(Inputs from ANI)