Aditya P Melani of Gujarat emerged champion in Category-B of the 12th KIIT International Chess Festival, scoring 8.5 points out of a possible 10 at KIIT University Campus here today. He received a cash prize of Rs 60,000.

Gaurav Das (West Bengal), who also garnered 8.5 points, settled with the runner-up prize of Rs 45,000, while Odisha teenager Sarthak Debata took home the third prize of Rs 35,000 with eight points to his name.

The festival is being jointly organised by All Odisha Chess Association (AOCA) and KIIT University. A total of 297 players participated in four-day Category-B competition. Prizes were distributed by KIIT International School Chairperson Dr Monalisa Bal, AOCA vice-president Ranjan Mohanty, joint-secretary Bibhu Bhusan Mishra and Chief Arbiter R Anathram.

The festival, which also features competition in Category A and C, commenced on May 31. KIIT & KISS Founder Dr Achyuta Samanta, AOCA president Debasish Samantray, All India Chess Federation secretary Bharat Singh Chauhan, Tournament Director Sekhar Chandra Sahoo and Olympian Dutee Chand joined the opening ceremony as guests.

FINAL PLACINGS (Top 20): 1. Aditya P Melani (Gujarat, 8.5), 2. Gaurav Das (WB, 8.5), 3. Sarthak Debata (Odisha, 8), 4. Manindra Karjee (Odisha, 8), 5. Madduri Satya Tejeswar (AP, 8), 6. Akash Tiwari (WB, 8), 7. Y Sai Kiran (AP, 7.5), 8. Ayan Pal (WB, 7.5), 9. S Raghul Saro (WB, 7.5), 10. Tirtha Sarkar (WB, 7.5), 11. S Sivathanujan (Sri Lanka, 7.5), 12. B Kalyani (AP, 7.5), 13. Shuvam Roy (WB, 7.5), 14. Cheniram Pegu (Assam, 7.5), 15. Tanishq Gupta (UP, 7.5), 16. Binayak Rath (Odisha, 7), 17. Bodhisatya Pal (WB, 7), 18. Swapnil Raj (UP, 7), 19. Samar Chatterjee (WB, 7), 20. Shankhodip De (WB, 7).
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PHOTO: Top three prize winners with guests and tournament officials in Bhubaneswar on 3 June 2019.