NIIT Launches NIIT MindChampions' Academy at Ryan International School, Goregaon

Online, February 24, 2011 (Newswire.com) - NIIT Limited, leading Global Talent Development Corporation and Asia's largest IT trainer, announced the launch of NIIT MindChampions' Academy at Ryan International School, Goregaon, Mumbai.

A joint initiative by NIIT & Grand Master Viswanathan Anand, MindChampions' Academy aims to popularize Chess in schools across India. Ms. Jaya Chakravarty, National Delivery Head, Teachers Training, NIIT Ltd, School Learning Solutions, NIIT Ltd was present on the occasion.

Ms. Grace Pinto, Managing Director, Ryan International Group of Institutions said, "We are extremely honored to announce the successful launch of NIIT's Mind Champions Academy which will support us in integrating Chess as a teaching tool in our schools as it directly contributes to a child's academic performance, thereby developing them as critical thinkers, problem solvers, analyzers and decision makers. We humbly treasure the growing relationship between the Ryan Group and NIIT for value-added services in School education."

Lt. Col. Tarun Govind Mathur, Vice-President, School Learning Solutions, NIIT Ltd., commented, "We are pleased to further strengthen our alliance with Ryan International Group of Institutions that will enable us to reach out to more young minds. NIIT is committed to make education more impactful, interactive and fun filled for teachers and students alike. To this end we have innovatively integrated Chess in the curriculum and used technology to enhance learning experience. I am confident that students of Ryan International School, Goregaon will find a positive change in their behavioural and academic skills by taking up the game of Chess."

NIIT MindChampions' Academy encourages students to take up the game of Chess, enabling development of young minds. Studies have shown that Chess improves concentration and diligence, thus building concentration and helping students perform better academically.

About NIIT MindChampions' Academy
The NIIT MindChampions' Academy (MCA) has been set up as a joint initiative by Grand Master Viswanathan Anand and NIIT Limited, leading Global Talent Development Corporation and Asia's largest IT Trainer, with the objective of promoting Chess in schools to enable development of young minds. Studies have shown that Chess improves concentration and diligence, thus helping students perform better academically.

Established in 2002, the Academy has fostered over 11,200 Chess clubs with over 900,000 students as its members, in schools across India. MCA has now touched nearly 1 Million with their Pan-India presence.
World Chess Champion and NIIT Mind Champion Viswanathan Anand has personally traveled to various parts across India - Agartala, Guwahati, Hyderbad, Mumbai, New Delhi, Jaipur, Patna, Raipur, Chennai, Hyderbad, Kolkata, Pune,Ahmedabad and has visited countries like Africa & China, spreading the message and motivating the school students to start playing Chess.

NIIT Mind Champions' Academy conducts the hugely popular Annual Event, known as Chess Master for school children across India within the NIIT network of schools where it provides IT education. It is also the first institution in India to launch a certificate program in Chess under a Central Government University umbrella- Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU).

About Ryan International Group of Institutions
The Ryan International Group of Institutions (RIGI) blend high value deliveries with modern learning tools to ensure that each of the institution has a safe, healthy, positively energizing, intellectually challenging, learning & enjoyable environment, committed to engage students in active, collaborative & technology based learning methodologies & to develop formative & summative assessments of students learning.

RIGI started its first school in Mumbai way back in 1976 & after a span of 30 years, have grown into a total of 105 institutions, providing quality education to a total of 200,000 students, facilitated by ten thousand educators who are trained to channelize all their energy & resources towards child centered qualitative learning.

The RIGI institutions were amongst the first to introduce comprehensive education on environmental conservation, personality development & computer education. The Group has a five- pronged approach (KASSM) for the overall development of the students - Knowledge, Attitude, Skills, Social Values & Moral Values.

The group owes its success to the excellent team developed by the Founder Chairman Dr. A. F. Pinto, who is ably supported by its Managing Director Madam Grace Pinto.

About NIIT
NIIT Limited, leading Global Talent Development Corporation and Asia's largest IT trainer, offers learning and knowledge solutions to over 5 million students across 40 countries.

Leading IT magazine Dataquest has conferred upon NIIT, the 'Top IT Training Company' award successively for the past 18 years, since the inception of this category. Rated among India's Business Superbrands 2008, NIIT's Individual Learning Business offerings include industry-endorsed programs for students seeking careers in IT - GNIIT, Edgeineers and Global Net Plus for IT professionals.

NIIT has provided computer-based learning to over 15,000 government and private schools. The futuristic NIIT eGURU range for schools is a holistic education package that comprises Interactive Classrooms (an embedded Teaching Learning Material, that uses elements of interactivity, automation and web links library); Math lab (technology tools that enable school students to learn and explore mathematical concepts); IT Wizard (equips the students with core computer knowledge and IT skills); and Quick School (an Education Resource Planning solution for school management).

For working professionals, NIIT Imperia, Centre for Advanced Learning, offers Executive Management Education Programs in association with Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) at Ahmadabad, Indore, Kolkata, Lucknow, IMT Ghaziabad and IIFT Delhi.

NIIT Institute of Finance Banking & Insurance (IFBI), formed by NIIT with equity participation from ICICI Bank, offers programs for individuals and corporates in Banking, Financial Services and Insurance.

NIIT Uniqua, Centre for Process Excellence, addresses the increasing demand for skilled workers in the business and technology services industry by providing training programs in relevant areas. This is a part of NIIT Institute of Process Excellence, a NIIT-Genpact venture.

NIIT's Corporate Learning Solutions, offers integrated learning solutions (including strategic consulting, learning design, content development, delivery, technology, assessment and learning management) to Fortune 500 companies, Universities, Technology companies, Training corporations and Publishing houses.

NIIT delivers a tailored combination of catalog learning products, technology and services through Element K offerings. These include: vLab®: hands-on labs, instructor-led courseware, comprehensive e-reference libraries, technical journals, and KnowledgeHub™: hosted learning management platform. This makes NIIT the first and the best choice for comprehensive learning solutions, worldwide.

Ushering in a new model in higher education is the not-for-profit NIIT University, established in 2009 with a vision of being the leading centre of innovation and learning in emerging areas of the Knowledge Society. Nestled in the foothills of Aravali, in Neemrana, Rajasthan, the picturesque 100 acres fully residential green campus has been developed as an institute of excellence based on the four core principles of providing industry linked, technology based, research driven, seamless education