BUDAPEST, Hungary (DiyaTV) — India made history at the 2024 Chess Olympiad by achieving an extraordinary feat: both the men’s and women’s teams claimed their first-ever gold medals. The double gold win established India as a rising global chess powerhouse.
The men’s team, featuring top players like D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, and R Praggnanandhaa, achieved a dominant 3.5-0.5 victory over Slovenia in the final round. Meanwhile, the women’s team, composed of Harika Dronavalli, Vaishali Rameshbabu, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agrawal, and Tania Sachdev, mirrored this victory with a 3.5-0.5 win against Azerbaijan. Harika and Divya secured crucial wins, while Vaishali held her opponent to a draw, cementing the teams’ triumph on the global stage.
Viswanathan Anand, five-time world chess champion, celebrated both teams’ achievements, acknowledging the players’ exceptional performances and teamwork. “Congrats to Team India for this sensational performance,” Anand wrote on X (formerly Twitter). He praised the men’s strong final-round performance and highlighted the leadership of Abhijit Kunte, captain of the women’s team, for guiding them to victory.
This win marks a significant milestone in India’s chess history. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya lauded the teams, calling the double gold victory a “historic moment” for the nation. Until this Olympiad, India had only secured bronze medals in past editions, including the 2014 and 2022 events.
Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, a top player from the United States, also paid tribute to Anand’s role in inspiring a new generation of Indian chess players. Nakamura pointed out that Anand’s legacy has played a crucial role in elevating Indian chess to international prominence.
With this victory, India joins the ranks of only a few countries, including the Soviet Union and China, to win both the men’s and women’s titles at the same Chess Olympiad.
