THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, JANUARY 14, 2026

The International Conference on Social and Educational Chess, held under the banner of Chess Mahakumbh, was inaugurated at KIIT University on Wednesday, marking the commencement of a first-of-its-kind mega chess conclave in India. Organised from January 14 to 16 with the support of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and the All India Chess Federation (AICF), the conference placed the spotlight on chess as a powerful instrument for education, inclusion and social transformation.

The opening day also featured the launch of major chess infrastructure and initiatives at KIIT, including the International Chess Hall and the Viswanathan Anand Chess Academy, reinforcing the university’s sustained commitment to nurturing chess from the grassroots to the global stage.

The inauguration brought together an illustrious assembly of global chess administrators and legends, including FIDE President and former Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Arkady Dvorkovich, FIDE Vice President and five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand, FIDE Deputy Chair and former Finance Minister of Latvia Dana Reizniece, AICF President Nitin Narang, AICF Secretary Dev Patel, and FIDE Event Commission Member Ranjan Mohanty, among others.

Addressing a press conference on the sidelines of the event, Viswanathan Anand said he was delighted to return to Bhubaneswar and lauded KIIT’s consistent national recognition for institutional support to sports. He described the university’s social initiatives as laudable and spoke of the transformative impact it had made in the region. Anand emphasised that chess was a strong educational tool, observing that students who regularly played the game often performed better academically. He also referred to emerging initiatives linking chess with social development, including its introduction in prisons, and said he looked forward to seeing the programme expand further.

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich thanked Dr Achyuta Samanta for his passion and unwavering commitment to the promotion of chess. He said the game helped inculcate critical life skills and cognitive abilities that were difficult to acquire through other means, making it a powerful medium for knowledge-building and personal growth.

FIDE Deputy Chair Dana Reizniece highlighted the role of chess in empowering children and supporting patients, citing a global survey conducted in 2021 that showed more than 25 million children worldwide engaged in chess-based education. She stressed the need to double that number and said KIIT University would play an active role in advancing this global mission. She also proposed developing a university-level academic programme centred on chess, seeking Dr. Samanta’s involvement in taking the initiative forward.

KIIT and KISS Founder Dr. Achyuta Samanta described the occasion as historic, stating that chess and Viswanathan Anand were inseparable. He expressed pride that such a prestigious global conference was being hosted in Odisha for the first time and noted that more than 5,000 students and players were participating, along with delegates from over 40 countries. Emphasising that education was about empowerment and giving back to society, he said KIIT and KISS had long regarded chess as a potent medium for social change.

Dr. Samanta also underscored the reach of chess into grassroots communities through KISS, pointing out that thousands of tribal children were actively playing the game. He said chess was unique in breaking social barriers, enabling children from all backgrounds to sit together on an equal footing.

With FIDE comprising 201 member countries, Dr Samanta noted that chess enjoyed truly global appeal. He reiterated that chess was perhaps the only sport free from social and economic barriers, a reality reflected in the diverse participation of KISS students and players at the event.

The Chess Mahakumbh conference witnessed participation from eminent chess personalities representing more than 40 countries, alongside 80 leading Indian players, and was expected to engage around 5,200 participants, including over 5,000 players from across India, making it one of the largest chess-centric academic and social gatherings ever held in the country.