India Shines Bright at Chess Olympiad: Double Gold Wins Signify New Dawn

At the Chess Olympiad in Budapest, India secured double gold medals in both men's and women's events, marking a significant milestone for the country’s chess. FIDE India Zone president Sanjay Kapoor lauds the teams, calling this the beginning of a 'golden' era for Indian chess.

Former All India Chess Federation (AICF) president and current International Chess Federation (FIDE) India Zone president Sanjay Kapoor praised the Indian men's and women's teams for winning gold medals at the recent Chess Olympiad, declaring a 'new era of champions' has dawned for the nation. India bagged gold in both categories at the event held in Budapest on Sunday.

In an interview with ANI, Kapoor noted that Indian chess is now reaping the benefits of laborious efforts over the past four years, highlighting their bronze medal finish at the 2022 Chess Olympiad. 'We planted a tree, and today we are reaping the fruits,' said Kapoor, expressing optimism about the future of the sport in India. 'After the era of Viswanathan Anand, the future of Indian chess is golden,' he added.

In the final round, the Indian men's team, featuring D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi, and Pentala Harikrishna, secured gold by defeating Slovenia 3.5-0.5. Wins by Gukesh, Erigaisi, and Praggnanandhaa sealed their victory. The women's team, comprising Harika Dronavalli, R Vaishali, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agarwal, and Tania Sachdev, clinched gold against Azerbaijan with a similar 3.5-0.5 scoreline, thanks to victories by Dronavalli, Deshmukh, and Agarwal.

(With inputs from agencies.)