First ever A&N International FIDE Rated Open Chess Tournament 2025 concludes triumphantly Kerala's A. Arush lifts championship trophy
Sri Vijaya Puram ,
The Andaman & Nicobar Islands witnessed a historic milestone in its sporting journey as the first-ever Andaman & Nicobar International FIDE Rated Open Chess Tournament 2025 concluded this evening at Jalsa Hall, Dollygunj, amid great enthusiasm and granduer.
Organised by the Andaman Nicobar Chess Association (ANCA) with the support of the Department of Education and Sports, A & N Administration, the five-day mega event drew 350 participants from over 20 Indian States and three countries viz. Sri Lanka, Nepal, and the USA, making it the biggest chess spectacle ever hosted in the Islands.
In a fiercely contested battle of minds, A. Arush of Kerala lifted the coveted Championship Trophy, securing 8.5 points and a prize of Rs.1 lakh. Close on his heels, Prashanth J. Naik of Karnataka emerged as the runner-up with 8 points, bagging Rs. 70,000, while Sudhir Kumar Sinha of Bihar finished third, claiming Rs. 50,000. Arul Anandh SPK of Karnataka and Shivraj Bhosale secured the fourth and fifth positions respectively. The top 25 players were awarded with cash prizes.
The valedictory ceremony added grandeur to the event, graced by Shri Hargobinder Singh Dhaliwal, IPS, DGP, A&N Islands as the chief guest, and Shri Bhavesh Patel, Member of All India Chess Federation's Event Commission, from Gujarat as the guest of honour. Shri Vikram Singh, Director of Education and Sports & Tournament Director, attended as the special guest. The dignitaries jointly presented trophies and prizes to the winners.
Apart from the main prizes, special awards in different age categories were also presented, encouraging budding chess talents.
The Andaman & Nicobar Chess Association has expressed deep gratitude to the A&N Administration, especially the Chief Secretary and the Department of Education & Sports, for their invaluable support and guidance in making the first-ever International FIDE Rated Open Chess Tournament 2025 a resounding success, a press release from ANCA said.
