This was a dream of Mrs. Suneetha Wijesuriya, the President of the Anatoly Karpov Chess Club from the time she organized a simultaneous chess exhibition tournament with the help of Indian three Grand Masters, Mr. R.B.Ramesh, Mrs. Arathie Ramaswamy and Miss. Meenakshi Subbaraman under the patronage of Mr. Manuel Aaron, Indian First International Master and Sri Lankan Fide Masters Dr. Harsha Athurupane, Mr.Harinlal Athurupane and Asian Gold Medalist Luxman Wijesuriya to help the tsunami effected chess players in southern province.

Since Rev. Vimala Thero, the chief incumbent of Paduma Gabbarama Temple had shown the fullest corporation to the Anatoly Karpov Chess Club not only by giving the land inside Paduma Gabbarama temple but also by arranging workers etc this dream became a true when it was ceremonially opened by the Russian Centre new Director, Mr. Akhmatov as his inaugural official function.

By welcoming all, at the opening ceremony of this chess centre, Mrs. Suneetha Wijesuriya the President of the Anatoly Karpov Chess Club mentioned that she is very happy about the chess promotional work she was able to do in last 10 years ( 1998 – 2008) under the Russian Centre as almost like the happiness of winning the National Women’s Chess Title in 10 years ( in between 1980 – 1997 )

She did not forget to thanked the former Directors, Mr. V.M. Poloskov, and Mr. Mikhail Ustinov, and all the Russian Ambassadors, and Mr. Buddhapriya Ramanayake, the chief executive officer of the Russian Centre, for their support towards these promotional work. On behalf of all Sri Lankan chess players, Mrs. Wijesuriya, especially thanked Mr. Ayrath Akhmatov and Madam Akhmatova for visiting Peraliya and gracing the ceremony by opening this chess centre for the betterment of chess players. I am sure that with the support of this new director we got another strength to put up another feet up to do more activities to promote chess through the Anatoly Karpov Chess Club not only island wide but also in the international Level.

Mr. Ayrath Akhmatov ,Director of the Russian Centre mentioned that he is very happy to know about the chess promotional work that the Anatoly Karpov chess club done within the last ten years period under the dynamic president Mrs. Suneetha Wijesuriya, by conducting several chess coaching camps, by organizing lots of advance training programs with the help of International Grand Masters, by conducting age group chess tournament, by sending Sri Lankan chess players abroad for International chess competitions and by distributing chess boards and books among the schools in rural areas.
He promised to give his fullest co-operation towards the chess promotional work conduct by this chess club in the future.