Chess manual for TN schools to popularise the sport

Chennai, Jan 4 (PTI): Giving a fillip to promoting chess in Tamil Nadu, home of world champion Viswanathan Anand, the state chess association has prepared a manual for schools to enable students evince interest in the sport. "Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu asked us to prepare a manual, which we did.The programme will initially be introduced in Dharmapuri, Erode, Kancheepuram, Tiruchirapalli and Ramanathapuram districts from the next academic year ," K Muralimohan, General Secretary of Tamil Nadu State Chess Association told PTI. The programme will enable SDATN train coordinators who will in turn train school students in the 7-17 age groups, he said. Delighted over the state government's initiative, Anand said it is a big step forward to popularise the mental game. "I am delighted and proud that my home state has taken this initiative. This is a big step to popularise chess among school children and make it a mass game," he told PTI. Anand said chess helps develop one's memory, concentration and strategic decision making skills, qualities which would help students in their academics. He thanked Chief Minister Jayalalithaa for taking a personal interest towards promoting the game. In August last year, Jayalalithaa had announced in the assembly that chess would be introduced in schools to 'enhance the efficiency and thinking capacity among students.' PTI DSJ APR