Bhubaneswar: Woman Grand Master Dana Reizniece Ozola today held a discussion with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and commended the state’s initiatives in nurturing young chess talent.
Ozola who is the Deputy Chair of FIDE( International Chess Federation) Management Board and Former Minister of Finance & Economics, Republic of Latvia, met the CM during her visit to Odisha.
Patnaik and Ozola emphasized the need to popularize chess as a mind-sport and its immense potential to empower the youth intellectually and emotionally.
The meeting highlighted the importance of identifying and supporting young chess prodigies and providing them with the right infrastructure and training to excel on the national and international stages.
Patnaik said, “We are committed to providing the best opportunities for our youth, and chess is a powerful avenue for their growth. We have established the State level chess academy – Pro-Chess-Ta, Chess in Schools project, while more than 100 Chess training centers across Odisha are planned. We look forward to working closely with FIDE to achieve our goals.”
Reizniece-Ozola, known for her unwavering support for the global chess community, expressed her appreciation for the Chief Minister and Odisha’s relentless efforts in fostering the growth of sports among its youth.
