Port Blair, Aug 18: The 2nd edition of the ‘AICF Chess for Everyone’ All India Open FIDE Rated Chess Tournament, organized by the Andaman Nicobar Chess Association (ANCA) and powered by TCI, concluded on a high note at Hotel TSG Grand, Port Blair. The event, held from 14th to 18th August 2024, saw an impressive participation of around 150 chess enthusiasts from across the country, including Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
The closing ceremony was graced by Mr. T K Prejith Rekh, Chief Engineer of APWD, A & N Islands, as the chief guest, while Mr. Pratap Singh Rathore, assistant vice president TCI, the leading sponsor, was the guest of honour. They awarded prizes to the winners, celebrating the talents that emerged during this intense five-day competition.
The tournament, offering a total cash prize of ₹1,15,000 and 40 trophies, provided an excellent platform for both rated and unrated players to demonstrate their skills. The fierce competition concluded with Mr. Pradeep Tiwari, the defending champion, of DASCB from Delhi clinching the championship title. He was awarded the prestigious trophy and a cash prize of ₹20,000. Salil Kumar D of DASCB secured the runner-up position, while Manna Chiranjit from West Bengal claimed third place. Surya from Tamil Nadu and Tarun N from Delhi secured fourth and fifth position respectively.
Souryadipta Sarkar from Jharkhand claimed the sixth position, followed by Ajay Kumar Rai of DASCB, who secured seventh place. Sathiya Moorthy T from the Andaman & Nicobar Islands earned the eighth position, while Chandrasekhar M K from DASCB and Shailender Singh, also from the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, secured the ninth and tenth positions, respectively
In his address, Mr. T K Prejith Rekh lauded ANCA’s efforts in organizing such a high-caliber event, emphasizing its role in promoting chess and uniting players from various regions. The guest of honour, Mr. Rathore, commended the participants for their dedication and expressed TCI’s commitment to nurturing young talent and supporting the growth of sports, particularly chess, in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
ANCA extends its heartfelt gratitude to all sponsors, participants, officials, and volunteers whose dedication and hard work made the event a resounding success.

 

Port Blair, Apr 10: This is to inform to the passengers/general public that, due to Administrative reasons, the vessel Nalanda will now sail for Swaraj Dweep on 11.04.2024 (Thu) at 0700 Hrs from Haddo Wharf and will sail back to Port Blair on the same day at 1000 Hrs from Swaraj Dweep in place of MV Baratang.
Passengers who are holding the tickets of MV Baratang for Swaraj Dweep on 11.04.2024 at 0630 Hrs and her return voyage at 0900 Hrs from Swaraj Dweep to Port Blair are advised to avail the above sailing of Nalanda with the same ticket.
Further to inform that, to facilitate the commuters of Rangat this Directorate has scheduled the vessel MV Rangat to sail for Rangat via Swaraj Dweep on today i.e. 10.04.2024 at 2000 Hrs from Phoenix Bay Jetty as per the following schedule.

U.S. Consul General in Chennai Judith Ravin

Inheritor of a rich portfolio, I assumed the post of U.S. Consul General in Chennai on September 6, 2020, to serve as the 26th U.S. Consul General in Chennai since 1947, advancing U.S.-India relations in a vast and diverse consular jurisdiction covering Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry. After three years in Chennai, as my tenure comes to an end, I am honored to have witnessed historical milestones in the ever-growing U.S.-India partnership between the people, governments, and business communities of our two great democracies.

Strong People-to-People Ties

From the bustling city of Chennai to the tech hub of Bengaluru, evergreen Thiruvananthapuram, biodiverse Port Blair, and the poignant Puducherry, I saw strong people-to-people ties wherever I travelled. India’s youth are the future torchbearers of the U.S.-India relationship. Record numbers of South Indian students are pursuing higher education in the United States, building even stronger cultural, educational, and scientific ties between our countries. And the U.S. Mission to India is on track to process over one million visa applications in 2023.

The American Center in Chennai, a hub for cultural and educational exchange between the United States and South India, was remodeled and modernized, providing state-of-the-art facilities for events, exhibitions, and trainings. We expanded our outreach to underserved communities, hosting a range of cultural events and educational programs that promote mutual understanding and respect between the United States and South India.

Promoting Economic Prosperity

Our team actively engaged in collaborating with our counterparts throughout the consular district to promote economic growth, bilateral trade, and sustainable development in the region. Through our partnerships, we focused on advancing key sectors such as space, emerging technologies, and manufacturing. We worked to foster empowerment of women and girls, including initiatives to promote women’s entrepreneurship, leadership, and access to education and healthcare. We engaged in promoting climate action and clean energy solutions with U.S. and Indian partners, driving economic growth and development in the region together.

Defense and Space Cooperation

One of the most memorable aspects of my tenure has been the opportunity to collaborate with Indian counterparts to advance the frontiers of space and defense exploration. Through joint missions and collaborations, we delved deep into the mysteries of the universe, unlocking new insights into the workings of the cosmos. Since 2005, the United States has participated in Aero India, and we see India as an indispensable partner for a safer, more prosperous, more open, and freer Indo-Pacific region. At Aero India 2023 in Bengaluru, we sent our largest-ever U.S. delegation, capturing headlines with the return of the mighty B-1B Bomber. Six months prior, in August 2022 at Larsen & Toubro shipyard facility in Kattupalli near Chennai, U.S. Navy Ship Charles Drew became the first-ever U.S. military vessel to undergo mid-voyage repair and maintenance in India, followed by another milestone in our expanding U.S.-India partnership – the Master Ship Repair Agreement. The historic agreement demonstrates the U.S. commitment to utilize repair facilities on U.S. military vessels on a regular basis at the Larsen & Toubro shipyard, strengthening our two nations’ strategic partnership and contributing to a free and open Indo Pacific.

I thank the people, places, and partners of India’s south and beyond for three extraordinary years of shared resilience, enrichment, and achievements. As I reflect on our accomplishments, I am reminded of the powerful impact that can be achieved through our #USIndiaTogether partnership, a groundswell of people and policy driving ecosystems of innovation.

Indeed, the United States and India are Better Together.

John Wilbert & Vikramaditya
Port Blair, May 21: In a relentless effort to combat the growing problem of illicit brewing and illegal sale of IMFL (Indian Made Foreign Liquor) and country-made liquor in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, the Andaman & Nicobar Police is leaving no stone unturned. Taking decisive action, the police recently received credible information about a man involved in selling illicit liquor near Karmatang’s number 09 area.
Acting swiftly on the tip-off, a special team comprising Sub Inspector Dinesh Meena, along with constables B. Dileshwar Rao, Ghanshyam Bagat, Sailen Pandey, Padma Kumari, and driver R. Thilak Raj, was formed under the leadership of Sub Inspector Grace Field from the Mayabunder Police Station. Yesterday, the team conducted a raid to crackdown on the illegal sale of country-made liquor, resulting in the apprehension of one individual identified as Shayog Minj, a 35-year-old resident of Karmatang’s number 09. The raid yielded a substantial quantity of over 200 liters of country-made liquor (Handia) in Minj’s possession.

Admiral D K Joshi, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, NM, VSM (Retd.), the Lt Governor, A&N Islands and Vice-Chairman, Islands Development Agency reviewed the action taken and proactive steps in Mission Mode for accomplishing the target of filling up of vacant posts of Group A, B & C in A&N Islands in the presence of Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, Senior Officials of Andaman & Nicobar Administration, Andaman & Nicobar Police &Deptt. of Environment & Forest. The Lt Governor appreciated the recent efforts of Departments for Recruitment and reiterated to maintain Zero Tolerance policy against corruption.