Chess: Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaysi heaved a sigh of relief after receiving a US visa to compete in the upcoming World Rapid & Blitz Championships starting in New York from December 26.
The Indian, ranked fourth in the world rankings, had on Friday appealed to the US Embassy to expedite the process of granting the visa required to participate in the tournament. Top players like Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Boris Gelfand are participating in this tournament.
Erigassi wrote on his ‘X’-
I have got America visa. I am overwhelmed and very grateful to have received such a positive response to my situation.
He thanked the US Embassy in India, the Ministry of External Affairs, industrialist Anand Mahindra, All India Chess Federation (AIFF), FIDE and well-wishers along with journalists for raising this issue and expediting the work. He said-
I hope that along with all of you, our country will be proud of my achievements. I have come to New York.
Earlier on Friday, Erigay along with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had sought help from the AIFF through social media. Erigaysi recently became the second Indian after Viswanathan Anand to achieve an ELO rating of 2800. He is in great form this year. He has won the individual gold as well as the team title in India’s historic performance at the Chess Olympiad.
Other prominent players competing at the World Rapid & Blitz Championships are Hikaru Nakamura, Wesley So, Levon Aronian, Jeffrey Xiong, Leinier Dominguez Perez, Hans Niemann and Sam Shankland.
