India Makes History with Double Gold at Chess Olympiad

India has made history by securing double gold in the open and women’s sections at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest

India has made history by securing double gold in the open and women’s sections at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest. This monumental achievement marks a new era for Indian chess, showcasing the country’s rising generation of talented players. D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, and R Praggnanandhaa delivered crucial victories against Slovenia in the final round, securing India’s first-ever title in the open category. The team’s success is a testament to their rapid progress over the past two years. India’s open section team, seeded second, and women’s team, ranked first, lived up to expectations. This triumph surpasses India’s previous best finishes – bronze in the open segment in 2014 and 2022 and bronze in the women’s tournament in 2022. The achievement is significant, considering India’s drought in top-level chess competitions since Viswanathan Anand’s five world championship wins.

However, the tide has turned with Gukesh’s Candidates tournament victory and R Praggnanandhaa’s World Cup runner-up finish. The Hungarian triumph was a team effort, with youngsters Arjun Erigaisi (21), R Praggnanandhaa (19), and D Gukesh (18) playing pivotal roles. Vidit Gujrathi (30) and veteran P Harikrishna contributed significantly. In the women’s section, R Vaishali, Divya Deshmukh, and Vantika Agarwal stepped up, supported by Tania Sachdev. This historic win heralds a new era for Indian chess, demonstrating the country’s growing stature in the sport. India is poised to dominate the chess world with its talented young players. The future looks bright, and this double gold may be just the beginning of India’s chess supremacy. As the country celebrates this achievement, it’s clear that Viswanathan Anand’s legacy is in capable hands.