Hyderabad, December 19, 2007: World Chess Champion and
NIIT MindChampion Viswnathan Anand was in town to felicitate winners of the
South Zone Finals of the NIIT MindChampions Academy’s Chess Master 2007 event.
NIIT MindChampions Academy is a joint initiative of NIIT, a leading Global
Talent Development Corporation and Asia’s No. 1 Trainer and World Chess Champion
Viswanathan Anand to initiate young minds into the World of Chess.
The Hon’ble Minister of Education, Govt of Andhra Pradesh, Mr Damodara
Rajanarasimha joined NIIT MindChampion Viswanathan Anand as Chief Guest and gave
away the prizes to the winners of the South Zone.
Winners from nearly 20,000 students from over 900 Government and Private
Schools spread across 4 states participated at the South Zone level contest held
in Hyderabad today. The NIIT MindChampions Academy Tournament 2007, an annual
chess event conducted by the academy in over 5,000 schools across the country,
was flagged off by NIIT Mind Champion Viswanathan Anand in New Delhi recently.
The Hon’ble Minister exhorted the young MindChampions to exhibit the same
passion and excellence in academics as they have shown their exemplary skills of
playing Chess in NIIT MindChampions Academy Chess Master 2007.
According to Mr. L. Balasubramanian, President-School Learning Solutions,
NIIT, “The NIIT MindChampions Academy is focussed at initiating young
minds on a path of excellence in academics as well as sports.”
We have received an overwhelming response from the state Government
and school children across the nation, who turned out in large numbers to
participate in the NIIT MindChampions Academy Chess Tournament, this year,"
he added.
At the Zonal finals conducted today, 12 NIIT MindChampions (state level
winners) from schools across the 4 states vied for the coveted slot for
competing in the finals. The winner from the South Zone finals will get an
opportunity to play with in front of the Chess Champion, Viswanathan Anand at
the National Finals of the tournament scheduled to be held in the Capital on
December 21st.
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
Winners of the South Zone Finals of NIIT MindChampions Academy Tournament
2007 will go on to represent the zone at the National Finals. The National
winner will be awarded by the World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand at this
mega event in New Delhi.
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 100,000
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: vLab®:
hands-on labs, instructor-led courseware, comprehensive e-reference libraries,
technical journals, and KnowledgeHub™: 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;
Mahima Sabharwal, Brodeur India, Ph: +91 9873292261, +19-11- 26142292;