Newly-elected All India Chess Federation (AICF) secretary, Dev Patel, has announced that India will bid for the hosting rights of the highly anticipated World Championship clash between D. Gukesh from India and defending champion Ding Liren from China. Gukesh, at 17 years old, became the youngest ever challenger for the world title by winning the Candidates Tournament in Toronto. The dates and venue for the world championship, scheduled for the last quarter of the year, have not been finalized yet.
Dev Patel expressed confidence in India’s ability to host the best world championship possible. He emphasized the importance of making chess a popular sport in the country and stated that the AICF will reach out to FIDE, the apex chess body, to initiate discussions on hosting the event in India. In terms of potential venues, Patel mentioned that Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh are in contention to host the World Championship.
Patel highlighted that all those involved in the game – parents, coaches and supporters – play a crucial role in nurturing talented players like Gukesh. Having been elected to office just last month, Patel aims to leverage his understanding of the game’s intricacies to ensure a successful bid for
