Confidence, Discipline and Healthy Youth Emerge from Sports Grounds, Says Deputy CM Arun Sao; State-Level Junior Chess Championship Concludes in Rajnandgaon
Published on: August 11, 2026
By: BTNI
Location: Rajnandgaon, India
The State-Level Junior Chess Championship concluded at Digvijay Stadium in Rajnandgaon, with Assembly Speaker Dr Raman Singh as the chief guest and Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao and Member of Parliament Santosh Pandey attending as special guests.
Organised jointly by Elegant Commerce and IT College, Rajnandgaon, and NRCA, the championship witnessed enthusiastic participation from around 125 boys and girls.
Assembly Speaker Dr Raman Singh and Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao visited the players during the competition and observed their matches. They also played chess with the participating children to encourage them. The young participants appeared highly excited to have the dignitaries among them.
‘Today’s Children Can Become Chess Masters Tomorrow’
Assembly Speaker Dr Raman Singh said the participation of more than 125 children in the state-level junior chess championship in Rajnandgaon was encouraging.
He said various sporting activities, including basketball, chess, badminton, cricket and football, are being conducted simultaneously at Digvijay Stadium.
He said the objective behind constructing the stadium was to provide a better environment and facilities for different sports within a single campus.
Dr Raman Singh said the achievements of players who have carried forward Rajnandgaon’s chess tradition are inspiring. He said the children participating in the competition have the potential to progress further in chess.
Encouraging the young participants, he compared their journey with that of a tree. He said a small sapling may appear insignificant at the time of plantation, but over time it can grow into a huge banyan tree.
Similarly, he said, today’s children can become major players and masters in the world of chess in the future.
‘Confidence and Courage Can Change the Journey’
Dr Raman Singh said developing confidence and curiosity among children is of utmost importance.
Once confidence and courage are developed, he said, no force in the world can stop a person from moving forward.
He told the children not to feel disappointed by a loss in the competition. Instead, they should treat defeat as a learning experience and prepare for the next competition.
He said victory and defeat are both part of sports, but continuous efforts eventually lead to success.
When children develop an interest in a sport and participate in competitions, he said, a desire to learn and progress develops naturally within them.
The Assembly Speaker said he would not limit his support to extending wishes and blessings to children. Every possible effort would be made to provide whatever assistance they require to progress in the field of sports.
‘Sports Grounds Build Confidence, Discipline and Healthy Youth’: Arun Sao
Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao congratulated and extended his best wishes to all participating players, organisers and citizens present at the event.
He said 125 boys and girls participated in the competition, with the significant participation of girls being particularly encouraging.
Sao said sporting activities continue at Digvijay Stadium in Rajnandgaon from morning till evening.
He emphasised that sports competitions and playing on the field are not limited to producing sportspersons. The sports ground helps develop confident, disciplined, healthy young people who know how to move forward together with others.
He said it is not necessary for every child or young person to choose sports as a career, but every child should be connected with at least one sport from an early age.
Going to the playground and sweating it out, he said, is important for their bright future.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message, “Jo Khelega, Wahi Khilega”, the Deputy Chief Minister urged children to play actively and move forward.
Sao said the enthusiasm of the junior players and their interest in chess during the competition gives confidence that major players will emerge from here in the future.
He congratulated the organisers for successfully conducting the state-level junior chess championship and wished all participants a bright future.
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Winners Felicitated at Closing Ceremony
At the closing ceremony, Purnima Sahu, Chairperson of Rajgami Sampada Nyas; Komal Singh Rajput; Digvijay Stadium Secretary Ramesh Patel; Yogesh Bagri; Rajesh Khandelwal; Rajesh Gupta; Sunil Agrawal; Nandkishore Soni; Balveer Bagga; Sudesh Chaurasia; Rajesh Bagri; Ashok Joshi; Devendra Thakur; Ramprasad Pal; District Panchayat CEO Durga Prasad Adhikari; Additional Collector C.L. Markandey, along with a large number of public representatives, sports enthusiasts, players and citizens, were present.
The winning players were presented with awards and honours by the guests, who encouraged them for their achievements.
