The Indian contingent on Sunday has secured double gold medals in both the open and women’s categories at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary. This historic achievement has drawn widespread acclaim, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulating the teams for their stellar performances.
In a social media post, PM Modi praised the Indian men’s and women’s chess teams, describing the victory as a “new chapter” in the nation’s sporting history. He expressed optimism that this success would inspire future generations of chess enthusiasts across the country.
India’s maiden gold in the open section came after Arjun Erigaisi’s decisive win against Slovenia’s Jan Subelj in the final round. India’s title was confirmed after second-placed China dropped critical points in their fixture against the USA, allowing India to clinch the gold. The open category team featured prominent chess players, including Gukesh D, Praggnanandhaa R, Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi, Pentala Harikrishna, and Srinath Narayanan. Prior to this victory, India’s best achievements in the open section were bronze medals in 2014 and 2022.
In the women’s section, the Indian team delivered an outstanding performance, defeating Azerbaijan 3.5-0.5 to secure the gold medal. The victorious women’s team comprised Harika Dronavalli, Vaishali Rameshbabu, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agrawal, and Tania Sachdev, with Abhijit Kunte serving as the team captain.
