Ending years of feud, AICF and Chess Association of India announce merger
Lucknow, Aug 21: Putting an end to internal fighting, the All-India Chess Federation and the breakaway Chess Association of India on Saturday announced that they have merged into one single entity to administer the sport in the country.
Players and administrators welcomed the move and said it would pave way for the development of the sport.
AICF president Sanjay Kapoor said that the warring factions, not only at the national level but also in various states, have now come together under the umbrella of the federation.
"I have personally had several rounds of talks with all the stakeholders and have brought everybody on the same platform for the development of chess and all the chess players in the country," Kapoor was quoted as saying in a press release.
"Like other federations, we too are struggling to organise our annual events and championships due to the Covid pandemic and could not afford to let our internal differences derail the sport even more," he added.
AICF secretary Bharat Singh Chauhan said, "Once we formed the new body, one of our first goals was to address all the concerns of every member and bring everybody together for the sake of the sport."
Apart from the wrangling at the national level, chess has suffered a great deal in Uttar Pradesh too, with two different bodies - UP Chess Association and UP Chess Sports Association - at loggerheads in the state.
"This has been a long-running feud and as I myself am from Kanpur, I believed it was my duty to resolve this problem on a priority. Today, I am happy to announce that both the groups are here," Kapoor said.
UP Chess Association president P C Chaturvedi (IAS Retd), Sr Vice President of Chess Association of India S L Harsh, and Secretary General of Chess Association of India and Secretary, UP Chess Association SK Tewari were all present at the press conference.
Chess Grandmaster Abhijit Kunte welcomed the move and hoped that all parties will work together for the development of the game.
"It's a good thing that the 16-year old dispute has ended. AICF was facing around 100-odd cases in the last few years, hopefully the number will come down. And all parties will put in the efforts for the development of chess. The sports fraternity is facing a challenging situation," Kunte told PTI.
A few other players also welcomed the move and said it bodes well for the future of chess in India.
Meanwhile, a veteran administrator said the AICF and Chess Association of India merger was good for the sport and hoped it would pave the way for greater development in the country.
"It is a good thing. Whenever a breakaway group returns to the parent body, it is welcome. It bodes well for the sport and results in expectations that chess will grow further in India," he added.
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Record-holder swimmer drowns while practicing in pool in Mangaluru
Mangaluru: Record-holder swimmer K Chandrashekhar Rai Surikumeru (52), who was known for performing yoga and somersaults underwater, died of drowning in the Mangaluru City Corporation swimming pool on Sunday.
Rai, who was a native of Surikumeru near Kalladka in Bantwal taluk, lived in Kudroli, Mangaluru. He is survived by his wife and a daughter.
He had been employed as a lifeguard at the swimming pool in Udupi under contract-basis and was working as manager of the MCC swimming pool for three years. He also worked as a lifeguard and swimming trainer.
On Sunday morning, Rai is said to have handed the security guard of the pool his mobile phone, saying he would practice for some time, but shortly after diving into the pool, he died of suffocation.
The post-mortem examination of his body was conducted at the District Wenlock Hospital and the funeral rites were held at his native place, Rai’s brother Radhakrishna Rai has said.
Rai, known for his skills in swimming, had entered the Worldwide Book of Records in 2023 by performing 28 front flip somersaults in a single stretch.
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