Tata Steel Asian Chess Team Championship, Kolkata, India, 20-29 December 2009: A Grand Prize Giving Indeed!

The prize giving ceremony was a grand affair indeed as can be seen from the following photos and yet reflected showed the graciousness of the VIPs present, all who key roles in making the event possible and this was shown throughout the ceremony with their obvious goodwill towards the organisers, chess, and participants.

After Dibyendu Barua welcomed all on behalf of the organising committee and shared his challenges in making this event happen while constantly expressing his gratitude to D.V. Sundar and the All India Chess Federation, the Central Government, the state of West Bengal and City of Kolkata (including buses from the Department of Tourism and cars by the Police), Tata Steel and the various other sponsors, Mr Bharat Singh Chauhan, on behalf of the All India Chess Federation congratulated him was an excellent event while at the same time pointing out he had now joined the ranks of organisers!

Mr Peeyush Gupta, Chief Marketing Officer of Tata Steel was kind enough to say that Tata was pleased to be associated with such and event and that the challenge in his opinion was less financial than in having a successful organisation so Dibyendu Barua was to be congratulated.

The guest of honour was Dr. Asim Das Gupta, State Minister of Finance, West Bengal, Government of India, and in his key note address spoke of his appreciation of the benefits of chess, reminding all that to playing chess was just like live in important moments in making and anticipating moves.

He then went on to reaffirm the state's commitment to supporting sport in general and chess in particular and offered assistance to make up any shortfall in the budget! And then went on to say he had spoken privately to Dibyendu and the West Bengal Chess Association and asked for a proposal for coaching children - a program for chess in schools which he said would have the government's full support.