Exclusive: Bangladeshi player deported from India; 80-yo legend Rani Hamid 'disturbed' by events

NEW DELHI: Bangladesh's renowned 80-year-old chess subordinate Sayeda Jasimunnessa Khatun, amended known arsenic Rani Hamid, arrived successful India earlier this period to enactment successful the 21st variation of the Delhi International Open Grandmasters Chess Tournament (June 7-14).The travel that began successful precocious spirits took a troubling crook erstwhile her question companion and compatriot, Ashiya Sultana, was denied introduction into the state upon accomplishment astatine the Indira Gandhi International Airport successful New Delhi.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Sultana, 37, was reportedly blacklisted by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) for participating successful a chess tourney successful Kolkata portion connected a aesculapian visa during a erstwhile visit.As a result, she was held astatine the Airport migration centre overnight and denied entree to her luggage. Subsequently, she was deported to Bangladesh the pursuing day.The incidental near Rani Hamid visibly shaken and emotionally distressed. “I americium precise sad," Hamid told TimesofIndia.com connected the sidelines of the Delhi GM Open. "The idiosyncratic who came with maine was not allowed to participate India. She was made to beryllium overnight astatine the migration centre.

They did not adjacent springiness her entree to her luggage. The adjacent day, she was forced to bargain a instrumentality summons astatine treble the price,” she said. “My caput is disturbed, and I americium incapable to absorption connected the game.”As a effect of the unfortunate crook of events, Hamid (rated 1800+) has had a challenging tally successful the tourney truthful far, securing 1 triumph and 1 gully retired of six rounds, each against lower-rated opponents.Hamid, who has agelong refrained from travelling unsocial for tournaments owed to her increasing age, added, “I ne'er question alone.

I ever person idiosyncratic with me. She was accompanying me, and present she is gone. I person been near alone.”

Speaking further connected the situation, the 80-year-old, who became Bangladesh's archetypal Woman International Master (WIM) successful 1985, voiced heavy interest implicit the evident deficiency of coordination betwixt the Indian and Bangladeshi authorities.“Her passport was clear, each documents were successful order, but migration told her she had been blacklisted for playing successful a erstwhile tourney connected a aesculapian visa," Hamid continued."At the time, she wasn’t adjacent alert that it was a violation. If she had been informed earlier, she would ne'er person come. The Indian authorities should person notified the Bangladesh Chess Federation.”

Hamid added that she pleaded with migration officials for leniency. “I requested them: if you judge she violated the rules, past enforce a fine, $100, $200, whatever, but fto her enactment and play for 7 days. She is not a criminal.

She hasn’t committed immoderate crime. She didn’t kill, steal, oregon rob anyone. Her lone offence is that she played chess.”Despite the affectional strain, Rani Hamid, however, acknowledged the enactment and hospitality provided by the organising committee of the Delhi Chess Association (DCA).ALSO READ: Rs 50,000 a period and countless sacrifices: How India's chess aboriginal shapes up successful Chennai hutWith the tourney held astatine The Tivoli, a edifice successful Chhatarpur, Delhi, wherever planetary participants are besides accommodated, it takes Hamid little than 5 minutes to locomotion from her country to the playing hall.

“It is precise comfy here. I tin play lone due to the fact that of that comfort. I americium precise grateful to the organisers who sent tickets and invited america truthful warmly,” she said.DCA president Bharat Singh Chauhan described the incidental arsenic 1 of the galore challenges that travel with organising a large planetary event."Visa issues are communal for overseas players. In this case, the FRRO had blacklisted her. Perhaps she had antecedently travel to India for aesculapian attraction and ended up playing successful a chess tournament, which whitethorn person led idiosyncratic to record a complaint. As a result, she was denied entry. These kinds of challenges are portion and parcel of hosting large-scale events," helium explained.