The Chess fraternity of the Nagpur feels proud that Mr. Swapnil Bansod, 3rd International Arbiter from Nagpur, Upgraded to Category A of Arbiters by FIDE (world chess federation) in 2nd FIDE Online Council Meeting 2020. Mr. Bansod is 1st International Arbiter from Nagpur and Vidarbha to achieve this prestigious cadre. He is 3rd      International Arbiter from Maharashtra and 8th from India to achieve this feet.
Swapnil became FIDE Arbiter in July 2009 when he topped the Fide Arbiter Exam at Chennai. Later in 2012 he achieved the title of International Arbiter and he was the youngest Indian to clear it on both the occasions. It is worth mentioning that Mr. Swapnil Bansod is the youngest among all 11 category-A Indian arbiters. He has performed the duty as an Arbiter in nearly 150 national / international events and also in 3 world championships, which includes World Youth Olympiad Under-16, at Ahmedabad in 2017, World Cadet Chess Championship 2018, at Spain and World Youth Chess Championship 2019, at Mumbai, where he was Deputy Chief Arbiter. World youth performance helped him to upgrade his category from C to A.
Mr. Swapnil Bansod has dedicated this success to his late uncle Rukshdas Bansod. He gives credit of his success to his family; Nagpur District Chess Association, Nagpur; All Marathi Chess Association and All India Chess Federation. He has also expressed his thanks to Mr. Manoj Itkelwar, Mr. Dilip Kamdar & Mr. K K Barat for their inspirational support. He expressed his special thanks to many senior International Arbiters from all over India for their able support and guidance.
Members of Nagpur District Chess Association congratulated him for his grand success and wished him for a bright future ahead.
