The International Chess Federation and the All India Chess Federation have strengthened their partnership with Tech Mahindra to provide a next-generation digital fan experience by leveraging Fan Nxt.Now.
As part of this global collaboration, Tech Mahindra has been brought on board as a digital partner for the 44th edition of the FIDE chess Olympiad, which will take place in India for the first time.
It will be hosted in Chennai from July 28 to August 9 with the Government of Tamil Nadu as host and principal sponsor.
In the Olympiad, five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand will work with Tech Mahindra and advise on next-generation chess tech and fan engagement.
Arkady Dvorkovich, FIDE President, said, “Throughout history, chess has always been a spearhead when it comes to technology. This agreement between FIDE and Tech Mahindra continues this tradition and will allow fans to enjoy chess through an interactive platform, while giving us innovative ways to promote the game. We are very excited to be partnering with such an innovative company, with all the possibilities that this collaboration opens for us.”
Tech Mahindra will be the first corporate to come on board for the FIDE chess Olympiad. It will also associate with the FIDE Woman’s World Cup and FIDE Woman’s Grand Prix.
Popularising chess
Bharat Singh Chouhan, Secretary General, All India Chess Federation, said, “We are delighted to welcome Tech Mahindra on board as a digital partner for the historic occasion for chess in India. We are looking forward to working with the team in making the FIDE chess Olympiad a grand success.”
Jagdish Mitra, Chief Strategy Officer & Head of Growth, Tech Mahindra, said, “This is a major step forward in our commitment towards enabling a digitally powered ecosystem that will help us in taking chess to its deserving position globally. With the amalgamation of new-age technologies and digital platform, we believe this game of strategy based on the art of decision making can be popularised even more and amongst a larger audience.”
Tech Mahindra will provide various digital technology solutions as part of the partnership. The Fan Nxt.Now solution will help drive hyper-personalised data-driven fan experiences by leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR)/ Virtual Reality (VR) and other technologies.
Viswanathan Anand said, “It is a great moment for Indian chess to stage a historic Olympiad with a great team and I am looking forward to working with FIDE, AICF, and their digital partner — Tech Mahindra. Their expertise in leveraging technology to give the chess fans a unique experience will be the big highlight of the Olympiad.”