Chess Olympiad Torch Relay reaches Hyderabad, event to begin July 28

The first-ever Chess Olympiad Torch Relay arrived in Hyderabad on Saturday.

Minister of Sports and Youth Services of Telangana, V Srinivas Goud received the torch from Grandmasters Harika Dronavalli and Arjun Erigaisi.

"1st Ever #ChessOlympiadTorchRelay Update City- HYDERABAD: 16th July Hon. Minister of Sports & Youth Services, Govt of Telangana @VSrinivasGoud received Torch from GMs @HarikaDronavali & @ArjunErigaisi in presence of eminent dignitaries," tweeted SAI Media.

Earlier, the torch had reached Raipur, where it was received by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel from Grandmaster Praveen Thipsay.

"1st Ever #ChessOlympiadTorchRelay Update City- RAIPUR: 16th July Hon. Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Sh. @bhupeshbaghel received the torch from Grandmaster Praveen Thipsay at Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay Auditorium in presence of eminent dignitaries," tweeted SAI Media.

On Friday, the torch relay completed its Odisha leg, where it visited Bhubaneswar, Puri, and Konark.

The other cities that have been covered by torch relay so far include Agartala, Namsai, Dibrugarh, Itanagar, 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, Jhansi, Gangtok, Siliguri, Kohima, Gangtok, Shillong, Guwahati and Siliguri.

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.

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