New India commits to chess

The pledge to support the sport locally came from new managing-director of the Trinidad office of New India Assurance, PJ Joseph who took up duties last November.

The assurance was given to Bisham Soondarsingh, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Chess Association at a meeting at the insurance company’s headquarters in the Guardian Building, St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain.

Soondarsingh said he was extremely pleased that Joseph has enthusiastically taken up the mantle left by former managing-director in Trinidad, Srinivasan Gopalan who was recalled to New India Assurance’s head office in Bombay last year and now heads their international operations.

During Gopalan’s stint in Trinidad he developed a close relationship with the local chess association and was instrumental in ensuring the National Chess Championships received the support of his company.

But Joseph has gone further in assuring Soondarsingh that New India Assurance will also sponsor the exciting Blitz Competition, a faster version of the game which attracts great interest.

Joseph, who comes from Kerala in the south eastern tip of India is a university trained management graduate who is on his first tour of duty outside his home country.

He says he last played chess at Cochin University but the benefits of the sport on young minds has not been lost on the father of two girls who are currently attending high school in India.

“Chess has many positive influences on the minds of young people who play the game. From an early age they learn strategy and the value of critical thinking. It helps to develop their mental processes,” said Joseph.

The insurance expert said that unlike popular sports like cricket, football and the like which are geared to promote physical prowess, chess is designed to improve mental strength and concentration.

Joseph said that with New India Assurance’s sponsorship of the top two Chess Association competitions he hopes to see new champions emerging in the near future who can make an impression on the international stage.

This view was endorsed by Soondarsingh who said the Chess Association is keen on promoting the sport in schools and highlighted several youngsters who are showing great promise and ready to reach the highest levels of the sport in the coming years.

Interestingly Joseph said that in Kerala, cricket is not as popular as football and athletics and it is the home state of top class long jumper Anju Bobby George.

He said the state is a major tourist destination both for Indians and visitors to the subcontinent.