India to bid for the hosting rights of World Chess Championship

The All India Chess Federation intends to bid for the hosting rights of upcoming World Chess Championship match between grandmaster D Gukesh and defending champion Ding Liren, the newly elected secretary Dev Patel expressed on Thursday.

The game will feature India's grandmaster D Gukesh and the defending champion Ding Liren of China. Gukesh, at just 17 years old, made history by becoming the youngest ever challenger for the world title after emerging victorious in the Candidates Tournament held in Toronto earlier this week. The championship is slated for the last quarter of the year, specific dates and venue are yet to be finalized.

The AICF plans to reach out to FIDE regarding the hosting bid on Friday. Patel mentioned several states under consideration for the event, including Gujarat, which is his home base, as well as Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh, known for their strong chess culture.

"We are open to discussions with FIDE, the apex chess body, and we are certain that the best world championship will be held in India," Dev Patel told PTI.

AICF aims to make Chess a popular sport in India with hosting the World Chess Championship being a stepping stone to it.