17th KIIT International Chess Festival begins with record prize pool of Rs 1.31 crore

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Bhubaneswar: The 17th KIIT International Chess Festival 2026 was inaugurated at KIIT campus today. The event has a prize pool of Rs 1.31 crore, the highest prize money offered by any university in India.

The prestigious international tournament, being held from May 23 to 30, has brought together more than 4,000 players and officials from over 40 countries, including 25 Grandmasters, 50 International Masters and more than 85 international title holders. Around 2,000 parents are also attending the mega event.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, founder of KIIT, KISS and KIMS, Prof. Achyuta Samanta said KIIT has always been committed to promoting sports alongside academics and will continue supporting chess with full dedication in the coming years.

Expressing gratitude to the International Chess Federation (FIDE), All India Chess Federation (AICF) and Odisha Chess Association, Prof. Samanta said their continued support has helped the festival emerge as one of the most prestigious chess events in the world. He noted that one Grandmaster has been participating in the KIIT Chess Festival continuously for the last 17 years, which inspires the organizers to take the game to even greater heights.

“This tournament provides excellent international exposure to students and young players,” he said.

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Tournament Director Sekhar Ranjan Sahoo described the KIIT International Chess Festival as the richest chess festival in the world. He said nearly 2,800 players are competing in the current edition and expressed confidence that participation would cross 5,000 in the coming years.

President of the organizing committee Ranjan Kumar Mohanty said the event began in 2011 with a modest prize fund of Rs 16 lakh and has since grown into a globally recognised chess tournament.

Vice Chancellor of KIIT-DU Prof. Saranjit Singh highlighted the importance of infrastructure in producing international sportspersons. “World-class players can only emerge when institutions create conducive facilities and a strong sporting ecosystem. KIIT and KISS have successfully built such an environment for nurturing talent,” he said.

Registrar of KIIT University J. R. Mohanty also attended and addressed the gathering during the inauguration ceremony.

The tournament is being organized by KIIT-DU in association with FIDE, AICF and the Odisha Chess Association and is expected to further strengthen Odisha’s growing reputation as a major destination for international sporting events.

Also Read: KIIT to host 17th International Chess Festival from May 23 with highest prize money of Rs 1.31 Crore in India

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