Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], July 4 (ANI): The first-ever Chess Olympiad Torch Relay reached the city of Bhopal on Monday.

The State Minister of Sports and Welfare Yashodhara Raje Scindia received the torch from Grandmaster Anurag Mhamal in presence of eminent dignitaries.

"1st Ever ChessOlympiadTorchRelay Update City- BHOPAL: July 4 @yashodhararajeMinister of Sports and Youth Welfare, Government of MP receives the torch from GM Anurag Mhamal in presence of eminent dignitaries India4ChessOlympiad AmritMahotsav," tweeted SAI Media.

Earlier on Monday, the torch had travelled to Indore. Minister for Water Resources of the state, Tulsi Silawat had received the torch from Grandmaster Anurag Mhamal and gave it to Nityata Jain and Cera Dagaria, chess players from MP.

"1st Ever ChessOlympiadTorchRelay Update City- INDORE: July 4 @tulsi_silawat Minister for Water Resources, Government of MP received the torch from GM Anurag Mhamal. Minister gave the Torch to Nityata JainCera Dagaria, players from MP India4ChessOlympiad," tweeted SAI Media.

Other cities that have been covered so far include Leh, Jammu, Srinagar, Dharamshala, Shimla, Chandigarh, Patiala, Amritsar, Panipat, Gurugram, Kurukshetra, Dehradun, Haridwar, Meerut, Kanpur, Kevadia, Ahmedabad, Dandi, Surat, Jaipur, Daman, Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and Panaji.

The torch relay was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The torch will travel to 75 cities for 40 days before it culminates at Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu. Over 200 countries are participating in the Chess Olympiad. Chess grandmasters will receive the torch at various identified venues.

This year, for the very first time, the International Chess Body, FIDE, instituted the Chess Olympiad Torch which is part of the Olympic tradition but was never done in the Chess Olympiad. India is the first-ever country to have the Chess Olympiad Torch Relay.

The 44th edition of the world's biggest chess event will be held in Mahabalipuram near Chennai from July 28 to August 10. (ANI)