Reigning world chess champion Viswanathan Anand will defend his title against challenger Magnus Carlsen of Norway in November in Chennai.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa informed the Assembly on Monday that the World Championship for 2013 would be held in Anand’s hometown between November 6 and 26 and the government would allot Rs. 29 crore for the event.

Making a suo motu statement, Ms. Jayalalithaa said when the World Chess Federation president Kirsan Illyumzhinov met her in 2011, he requested her to hold the World Chess Championship in Chennai. She agreed to do so at a cost of Rs. 20 crore.

“However, it failed to materialise as Russia made the highest bidding for the championship. Since Tamil Nadu came forward to organise the event in 2012, the World Chess Federation agreed to hold it in Chennai without bidding,” she said.