PANAJI: Goa Chess League (GCL) champion and Manohar Parrikar International Open Grandmaster online Chess Tournament 2020 (Category E) winner, Fide Master Nitish Belurkar received the gold medal and trophy from Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday.
Third in the GCL, Vivaan Ballikar was also presented with a trophy in the presence of Nilesh Cabral, Power Minister and President of Goa Chess Association. GCL runner-up Ritviz Parab could not make it for the awards function due to his academic routine.
Belurkar created history when he was crowned the champion at Manohar Parrikar International Open Grandmaster Online Chess Tournament (Category E) chess 960 format, which saw a record participation of 307 players from Russia, Israel, Ukraine, Iran, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, USA, Canada and host nation India, back in September – October 2020.
Capping a successful year, Nitish also bagged the title at the Goa Chess League – a series of 12 online tournaments organised by each of the Taluka Associations. The 19-year-old won 6 gold , 5 silver and 1 bronze. Second-place winner Ritviz Parab clinched 5 gold and 3 silver medals while third-place winner, Vivaan Ballikar had 1 gold and a bronze medal to show for his efforts in GCL.
Meanwhile, CM Sawant and Power Minister Cabral also congratulated Leon Mendonca for achieving Grandmaster title. The 14-year-old was recently declared Goa’s second GM behind Anurag Mhamal and 67th overall in the country.
