New Delhi, December 21, 2007: NIIT MindChampions Academy
Tournament 2007, a unique initiative of leading Global Talent Development
Corporation and Asia’s Largest Trainer, NIIT, and World Chess Champion
Viswanathan Anand, witnessed a grand closing today. Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar,
Hon’ble Union Minister of Panchayati Raj, Youth Affairs and Sports, and
Development of North Eastern Region and NIIT MindChampion and World Chess
Champion Viswanathan Anand presented the awards to the winners in a glittering
ceremony held in the Capital.
Hon'ble Minister Mr Mani Shankar Aiyar and Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand
unveiled the NIIT MindChampions Academy's Rolling Trophy and announced the
winners of this joint initiative which is popularly running in over 3500 schools
in the country, exposing students in the age group of 6-17 years to the world of
Chess.
The winner trophy of NIIT MindChampions Academy Tournament 2007-08 was
bagged by Sunbeam School, Varanasi comprising of students Shikar Pandey, Ajay
Lilha and Ashish Lilha. The team from DAV Public School, Hyderabad comprising of
M Manimaran, S Nagaharita and R Shankar were the 1st Runners-Up at the event.
The team from Delhi Public School, Kolkata comprising of Nishi Ayar, Bidita
B Shenoy and Tapajit Das bagged the 2nd Runners Up trophy, while Vivek
Vidyalaya, Mumbai team of Niti Gupta, Om Sabnis and Aniket Balam were announced
3rd Runners-Up at the national level chess contest.
The winners get to treasure the NIIT MindChampions Academy’s Rolling Trophy
for one year until the commencement of tournament next year.
Mr Mani Shankar Aiyar, the Hon'ble Minister of Panchayati Raj, Youth
Affairs and Sports, and Development of North Eastern Region, Govt of India,
graced the celebratory occasion and exhorted the young MindChampions to exhibit
the same passion and excellence in academics as they have shown in the game of
Chess in NIIT MindChampions Academy Chess Master 2007.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Rajendra S Pawar, Chairman NIIT, said,
“I believe that this is ‘The Century of the Mind’. The tremendous
participation by children in NIIT MindChampions Academy - Chess Master
Tournament, reiterates this fact.”
The grand finale of Chess Master 2007 saw winners from North, East, West
and South zones vying for the National Level Honour of Chess Master.
Nearly 1,00,000 children from 3500 government and private schools
participated in this event. NIIT conducts computer education and computer
assisted education training programmes in these schools.
At the national finals conducted today, NIIT MindChampions from schools
across the 4 zones competed to earn the national title of NIIT Chess Master 2007
from World Chess Champion and NIIT MindChampion Viswanathan Anand. The winners
from the 4 zones also got an opportunity to play a game of chess with
Viswanathan Anand.
Speaking on the occasion World Chess Champion, Viswanathan Anand said,
“Chess is a Mind Game. It requires consistent performance through focus
and practice, combined with passion and determination to do well. NIIT
MindChampions Academy is our initiative to provide a platform to young minds to
get initiated into the Game of Chess. It is heartening to note that young
students from across the country have embraced the game in large
numbers.”
“As good players of this game, I am confident that if the children
apply the principles of playing the game of Chess in their academic pursuits,
they are sure to emerge as winners and flag bearers of excellence”,
added Anand
Since 2003 NIIT has in a phased manner introduced the NIIT MindChampions
Academy in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala.
The initiative has received tremendous response from the Government, school
authorities, students and their parents alike. NIIT as project partner of the
state in Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan initiative is providing computer and computer
assisted education to over 1,00,000 students spread across the region.
Started in 2002-03, NIIT MindChampions Academy is joint initiative of World
Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand and NIIT, to initiate young minds into the
World of Chess. The Academy has fostered nearly 5280 clubs with over 150,000
students as its members across the network of schools where NIIT offers
computer-aided learning. The young members of the Academy get to play Chess in
both online and offline format and are given coaching using NIIT's
technology.
The students use computer-based tutorials, during and after school as a
virtual playfield to hone their skills in the game of Chess. Apart from
tutorials, promising Chess players get an opportunity to interact with NIIT
MindChampion Viswanathan Anand, in person.
Leveraging its inherent strength in technology, NIIT MindChampions Academy
has created a virtual community of Chess enthusiasts in the country. The Academy
has Viswanathan Anand, Rajendra S. Pawar and L. Balasubramanian, President of
NIIT's School Learning Solutions Business, on its Advisory Board.
NIIT through its School Learning Solutions division is reaching 1.4 million
kids in government and private schools, mostly in rural areas, equipping them
with crucial IT skills to prepare them for tomorrow's knowledge society. NIIT is
working actively to make computers an intrinsic part of the lives of children
and also those of the socially and economically challenged sections of the
society, who may never have had a chance to integrate with the emerging 21st
century environment, to give a better prospect to their future.
About NIIT
NIIT, Asia's No. 1 trainer and leading Global Talent Development
Corporation, offers learning and knowledge solutions to 5 million students
across 32 countries.
Leading IT magazine Dataquest has conferred upon NIIT, the Top IT Training
Company Award 2006. Rated among India's Superbrands (2003-05), NIIT's
Individual Learning Business offerings include:
Industry-endorsed programs for students seeking careers in IT: GNIIT, Integrated
ANIIT for Engineers
(IAE) and Advanced Technology Programs for IT professionals.
For working professionals, NIIT Imperia, Centre for Advanced
Learning, offers Executive Management Education Programmes in
association with Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) at Ahmedabad, Indore and
Kolkata.
NIIT Institute of Finance Banking & Insurance (IFBI),
formed with equity participation from ICICI Bank, offers programs to
develop talent for the banking industry.
NIIT School Learning Solutions (SLS) offers turn key IT
and ICT integration program for schools. NIIT SLS has provided computer-based
learning to over 5000 government and private schools.
NIIT's Corporate Learning Solutions, offers integrated learning solutions
(including strategic consulting, learning design, content development, delivery,
technology, assessment and learning management) to Fortune 500 companies,
Universities, Technology companies, Training corporations and Publishing
houses.
Element K delivers learning solutions for customers and
partners through a tailored combination of catalog learning products,
technology, and services. The offerings include: vLabR:
hands-on labs, instructor-led courseware, comprehensive e-reference
libraries, technical journals, and
KnowledgeHubT: hosted learning management platform.
NIIT together with Element K is now the first and the best choice
for comprehensive learning solutions, worldwide.
For media queries, please contact:
Prateek Chatterjee, NIIT Limited, Ph: +91 9910201085, +91 124
4293041;