All India Chess Federation

{{Infobox Sport governing body

|assocname = All India Chess Federation

|jurisdiction=India|abbrev = AICF

|logo=AICF logo.svg|logosize=200px|sport = Chess

|founded = {{start date and age|1951}}

|aff = FIDE

|president = Nitin Narang{{Cite web|url=https://aicf.in/aicf-new-elected-office-bearers-for-2024-2027/|website=aicf.in|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240610142529/https://l3q225.n3cdn1.secureserver.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Form-15.pdf|archive-date=10 Jun 2024|title=Results of election of office bearers for 2024-27}}

|url = https://www.aicf.in/

}}

The All India Chess Federation is the administrative body for the game of chess in India. Founded in 1951, the association is affiliated to the Asian Chess Federation and the International Chess Federation. Nitin Narang is the president of the federation.{{Cite web|url=https://sportstar.thehindu.com/chess/nitin-narang-new-president-all-india-chess-federation-aicf-elections-term-office-bearers-announcement/article67946239.ece|title=Nitin Narang new president of AICF|website=sportstar.thehindu.com|date=13 March 2024 }} AICF's headquarters are in New Delhi.{{Cite web|title=Contact Details of All India Chess Federation|url=https://aicf.in/contact/|access-date=17 March 2022|website=aicf.in}}

Indian chess has players like Viswanathan Anand, Koneru Humpy, Gukesh Dommaraju, Arjun Erigaisi, Divya Deshmukh, Vidit Gujrathi, Harika Dronavalli, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, and Vaishali Rameshbabu, among others. The organisation manages men's and women's chess.{{cite web|url=http://www.iloveindia.com/sports/chess/aicf.html|title=All India Chess Federation|publisher=Iloveindia.com|access-date=12 February 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100114100234/http://www.iloveindia.com/sports/chess/aicf.html| archive-date=14 January 2010 | url-status= live}}

History

The All India Chess Federation was registered on 12 December 1958 and was registered as a Society under the Societies Registration act of 1860.{{Cite web|title=AICF Constitution|url=http://assets.aicf.in/downloads/AICFConsitutionByelawsamendedason25June2017.pdf|access-date=24 June 2020|website=aicf.in}}

A new administration was formed, via an election of office bearers, on 10 March 2024 where Mr. Nitin Narang was elected as the president of the AICF.{{Cite web|url=https://aicf.in/aicf-new-elected-office-bearers-for-2024-2027/|website=aicf.in|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240610142034/https://aicf.in/aicf-new-elected-office-bearers-for-2024-2027/|archive-date=10 Jun 2024|title=Election of office bearers for 2024-27}}

In August 2022, AICF hosted the 44th Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India, which was the first Chess Olympiad ever to take place in the country.{{cite web |author=FIDE |date=1 April 2022 |title=FIDE signs contract with AICF for the 2022 Chess Olympiad |url=https://www.fide.com/news/1672 |publisher=FIDE}}{{cite web |author=Chessbase India |date=2 April 2022 |title=FIDE signs contract with AICF for the 2022 Chess Olympiad |url=https://www.chessbase.in/news/FIDE-signs-contract-with-AICF-for-the-Chess-Olympiad-2022 |publisher=Chessbase India}} The event was organised by AICF in association with the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and the Tamil Nadu Government. Sanjay Kapoor, ex-AICF president, was the President of the Organising Committee for the 44th Chess Olympiad, and ex-AICF Secretary, Bharat Singh Chauhan was the Tournament Director.{{cite web |author=ANI |date=1 April 2022 |title=FIDE officially hands over hosting rights to India for FIDE Chess Olympiad 2022 |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/sports/others/fide-officially-hands-over-hosting-rights-to-india-for-fide-chess-olympiad-202220220401233251/ |publisher=ANI}}

Charges of bureaucratic interference

AICF has been repeatedly accused of bureaucratic interference. In October 2009, chess Grandmaster Humpy Koneru (then female world No. 2) accused the AICF secretary DV Sundar of preventing her from participating in the 37th Chess Olympiad in Turin.{{cite web|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/koneru-humpy-accuses-aicf-secretary-of-harassment/103832-5.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091025075035/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/koneru-humpy-accuses-aicf-secretary-of-harassment/103832-5.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 October 2009|title=Koneru Humpy accuses AICF secretary of harassment|date=23 October 2009|access-date=2 September 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=5865|title=Humpy replies to Sundar – issues open challenge|date=2009-10-25|publisher=ChessBase.com|access-date=12 April 2011}} The same year the AICF was accused of arbitrarily banning grandmaster G N Gopal{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report_players-body-backs-barred-gopal_1238277|title=Players' body backs 'barred' Gopal - Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis|date=11 March 2009|access-date=2 September 2016}} for not playing in a match (the ban was subsequently revoked).{{cite news

|title=All India Chess Federation revokes ban on Gopal

|url=https://en.chessbase.com/post/all-india-che-federation-revokes-ban-on-gopal

|publisher=ChessBase

| date=5 July 2009

|access-date=20 March 2022}}

In 2012 the AICF president N Srinivasan was criticised for not supporting Viswanathan Anand in World Chess Championship 2010, by not trying to host the match in India.{{cite news

|title=AICF boss plays chess, but only in the BCCI

|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/chess/AICF-boss-plays-chess-but-only-in-the-BCCI/articleshow/5879023.cms

|publisher=Times of India

| date=1 May 2010}}

However, things appear to be changing for better since the present management took over on January 4, 2021.{{cite news

|title=Sanjay Kapoor elected AICF President, Bharat Chauhan retains secretary's post

|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/chess/sanjay-kapoor-aicf-president-election-result-7132649/

|publisher=The Indian Express

|date=4 January 2021

|access-date=20 March 2022}} The new AICF President, Sanjay Kapoor, and Secretary, Bharat Singh Chauhan have taken a slew of measures to ensure that the Federation actively focuses on promoting Chess sport in the country and works towards empowering the players.{{cite news

|title=AICF initiates roadmap to end conflicts in states, bring international events home

|url=https://sportstar.thehindu.com/chess/all-india-chess-federation-roadmap-sanjay-kapoor-bharat-chauhan-sports-news/article33835643.ece

|work=The Hindu

|date=14 February 2021

|access-date=20 March 2022}}

Affiliates

Till date the federation has more than 30 affiliated state associations and 10 special members Here is a list of them:{{cite web|url=http://www.indianchessfed.org/AroundtheStates/AroundtheStatesbk.asp|title=All India Chess Federation|publisher=Official Website|access-date=12 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100210063250/http://www.indianchessfed.org/AroundtheStates/AroundtheStatesbk.asp|archive-date=10 February 2010|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}{{cite web|url=https://aicf.in/affiliate/|title=Affiliates - All India Chess Federation|publisher=Official Website|access-date=10 June 2024}}