Port Blair, June 3: The prestigious 2024 World Junior Chess Championship commenced yesterday at the Radisson Gift City in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

Five-time world champion, Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand, was the chief guest at the opening ceremony and made the ceremonial move against Geet Sethi, a professional billiards player, to inaugurate the event in the presence of the chief arbiter of the event, International Arbiter, Vardapetyan Ashot from Armenia and office bearers of All India Chess Federation.

Around 230 young chess prodigies from around the world are participating in this most awaited chess event in the world, including R Kashthuri Bhai from the Islands, who is participating in a World Junior Chess Championship for the first time.

Meanwhile, B Neelaiah, FIDE Arbiter from the Islands, is officiating as one of the match arbiters of this prestigious chess championship, which will be played in the classical format over 11 rounds from June 2 to June 13, 2024.