SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, March 18: The office bearers of All Jharkhand Chess Association (AJCA) and secretary of different districts have congratulated their president Pradeep Verma for his unopposed election as Rajya Sabha (RS) member from Jharkhand.
AJCA general secretary Manish Kumar of Ranchi, executive member Jayant Bhuyan of Jamshedpur, first treasurer of AJCA Arvind Kumar Sinha of Dhanbad, Basant Khandelwal, secretary West Singhbhum District Chess Association, Ajay Kumar, secretary Seraikela- Kharsawan District Chess Association and Rohan Vijay Sandilya, one of the top rank players of state have congratulated Verma ( MP) and expressed hope that now development of Jharkhand chess will get additional wing to move ahead.
Newly elected Rajya Sabha MP Pradeep Verma is the president of the Jharkhand Chess Association. He is the first president of the 24-year-old association, and he began donating Rs 10,000 and clocks from his personal pocket to the district chess body for holding the championship in 2014.
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“Chess in Jharkhand has witnessed remarkable development in the last 10 years under his (Pradeep Verma) leadership. The association’s financial position has strengthened, and infrastructure has developed in most districts, including West Singhbhum District Association. Since he has become MP, we hope chess will develop more in the state,” said Basant Khandelwal.
Seraikela District Chess Association secretary Ajay Kumar ( former joint secretary of the state body) said that the election of the association’s president ( Pradeep Verma) as MP has raised players’ and state organizers’ hopes about expanding activities in Jharkhand.
First treasurer of the Jharkhand Chess Association, Arvind Kumar Sinha (who ran the Dhanbad District Chess Association on personal cost as secretary for several years (1988 to 2014), said that in 2000, when the state chess association was formed at Jamshedpur, it had nothing, but when Pradeep Verma assumed the charge as president scenario changed overnight. “We hope under his leadership state chess will get more pace of development,” he said.