Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday extended heartfelt congratulations to Team India for their historic achievement at the FIDE Chess Olympiad, where both the men’s and women’s teams secured gold medals. He described the victory as a significant milestone in India’s sporting trajectory.

India’s teams delivered outstanding performances at the 45th International Chess Federation (FIDE) Chess Olympiad, held in Budapest, clinching gold in both the men’s and women’s events on Sunday.

“Historic win for India as our chess contingent triumphs at the 45th #FIDE Chess Olympiad! India has won the gold in both the open and women’s categories. Congratulations to our incredible Men’s and Women’s Chess Teams. This remarkable achievement marks a new chapter in India’s sports trajectory. May this success inspire generations of chess enthusiasts to excel in the game,” PM Modi said on X.

India’s men’s team, consisting of D Gukesh, R. Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi, and Pentala Harikrishna, defeated Slovenia to clinch the gold. Victories by Gukesh and Erigaisi gave India an early 2-0 lead, while Praggnanandhaa’s win and a draw from Vidit sealed the gold with a 3.5-0.5 scoreline.

The Indian women’s team, featuring Harika Dronavalli, R. Vaishali, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agarwal, and Tania Sachdev, mirrored the men’s success by securing gold after a dominant 3.5-0.5 victory against Azerbaijan. Harika, Divya, and Vantika won their matches, with Vaishali earning a draw.

Earlier, during his address to the Indian diaspora at Nassau Coliseum in New York, Prime Minister Modi acknowledged the team’s double-gold victory, saying, “Bharat is full of energy and dreams.” He praised the chess champions, adding, “Every day we see new achievements. Today, both India’s men’s and women’s teams have won gold medals at the Chess Olympiad.”

Later on Sunday, PM Modi is set to engage with CEOs of leading US-based companies to strengthen collaborations in key sectors such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, semiconductors, and biotechnology.

(With ANI inputs)