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1. Arjuna Awardee and 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Rahul Banerjee with the youngest participants of the 23rd The Telegraph Schools’ Chess Championship, Ahan Mondal and Nisita Rani, at the Gorky Sadan, on Wednesday. 2. Winner Sayantan Das with men’s International Master and a product of The Telegraph Chess, Nisha Mohota.
3. Sports minister Madan Mitra with the South Point boys, who won the best school trophy. Telegraph pictures
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Calcutta: It was a first for Rahul Banerjee. The Arjuna Award-winning archer and the 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist has never been to a chess award function before, but as they say, there is a first time for everything.
“Nice to be here. I have never been to a chess event, but I must say it’s a fantastic feeling,” he told a packed Gorky Sadan, the venue for the prize distribution of the 23rd The Telegraph Schools’ chess championship. The tournament, which ended on Tuesday, was sponsored by Himani Sona Chandi Chyawanprash, in association with NIIT (nguru). Alekhine Chess Club was the organiser.
“I was surprised to know that The Telegraph is associated with a chess tournament for the last 23 years… It’s amazing… Parents should encourage their children to take up sports as a career.
“School is where the talent lies… Countries who are doing consistently well in Olympics, like China, US, Germany, have always focussed on school children,” he said. Rahul, in fact, was quite excited when he was called on the dais to give away the prizes to two of the youngest participants — Ahan Mondol and Nisita Rani.
Nisha Mohota, a men’s International Master and a product of The Telegraph Chess, was of a similar opinion.
“This tournament has its own appeal. It gives a platform to the budding players. A school tournament for the last 23 years… I am feeling nostalgic… I played the first edition and today I am here giving away prizes to all these young players,” Mohota said.
The biggest applause was for Sayantan Das, who created history by becoming the first player to win the title three times in a row.
“It’s always nice to win a tournament,” he said. Asked about his plans, Sayantan said he would take a break as his secondary examinations are round the corner. “After that I may play a tournament in Dubai,” he said.
Madan Mitra, the state sports minister, who was also present, said that he would like to see a top-level chess tournament in the city.
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Champion Sayantan Das with some of the winners, at the Gorky Sadan, on Wednesday
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“The state government will be more than happy to offer all kinds of help. I am keen on the city hosting a mega chess event,” he said.
Others who gave away the prizes included Dhiraj Agarwal, director Emami Group, Parag Mitra, NIIT (Head East), AV Mazirka, vice consul of Russian Federation in Calcutta and director of Gorky Sadan, Rajesh Hari Joshi, president of the Nepal Chess Association and Fide executive member, Soumen Majumder, secretary of the Alekhine Chess Club and Udayan Kanti Ghosh organising secretary, West Bengal Chess Association.
Roll of honour
Winner: Sayantan Das
U-6 Boys’: Akshath Sinha; Girls’: Garima
Gaurav
U-8 Boys’: Aditya Basu; Girls’: Bidisha Roy
U-10 Boys’: Subhasis Barik; Girls’: Khushi Dharewa
U-12 Boys’: Sarbojit Paul; Girls’: Shradha Kucheria
Best School Award: South Point School (33 points)
The Parimal Mukherjee Trophy for the best game: Diptayan Ghosh’s win over Das | 
