State-Level Chess League to Begin in Tirupati on February 21
The Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP) will launch a state-level Chess League in Tirupati on February 21 as part of the SHAP League initiative aimed at identifying and nurturing sporting talent among school students. SAAP Vice Chairman and Managing Director B. Bharani said the programme focuses on grooming students from the grassroots level so they can compete successfully at national and international levels.
The SHAP League, conducted in collaboration with the School Education Department and the School Games Federation, will run throughout the year from February to December. District-level selection competitions will be held across the state, with selected players qualifying directly for state-level events. About 20,000 participants have already registered for the chess league.
Bharani stated that beyond identifying talent, selected players will receive specialized coaching and guidance to help them develop into top athletes similar to international achievers such as Koneru Humpy and P.V. Sindhu.
Badminton star P.V. Sindhu noted that the state has many talented sportspersons and the league provides a valuable platform to identify and support them through training and financial assistance. She expressed confidence that continued encouragement for sports under the current administration will help Andhra Pradesh produce more international champions.
Chess grandmaster Koneru Humpy said the league will help discover promising athletes across various sports and provide them with structured training and support. She added that sustained encouragement from the government could help produce more global-level champions from the state.
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