On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi won their first-ever gold medals in India’s men’s and women’s chess teams at 45th Chess Olympiad. The achievement signifies India’s growing strength in international chess. The men’s team, featuring grandmasters like D.Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, and R. Praggnanandhaa, displayed their skills in the final round and defeated Slovenia 3-0. The women’s team achieved a strong 3.5-0.5 win over Azerbaijan, giving India a rare double gold at the prestigious tournament.
The Indian men’s chess team had an amazing tournament, finishing with 21 points out of 22. They stayed unbeaten, with their only draw against Uzbekistan. This historic win in the open category was fueled by the performances of World Championship contender D Gukesh and his teammates Arjun Erigaisi and R Praggnanandhaa who stepped up when it counted.
Historic win for India as our chess contingent wins the 45th #FIDE Chess Olympiad! India has won the Gold in both open and women’s category at Chess Olympiad! Congratulations to our incredible Men's and Women's Chess Teams. This remarkable achievement marks a new chapter in… pic.twitter.com/FUYHfK2Jtu
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 22, 2024
In the final round against Slovenia, Gukesh played a key role in securing India’s victory. The 18-year-old grandmaster faced Vladimir Fedoseev and displayed his strategic skills in a tough match. Arjun Erigaisi, playing with the black pieces on board three, scored another important win against Jan Subeli in an unexpected Centre Counter Defense game. His win boosted India’s chances of winning the title. R Praggnanandhaa also contributed to the team’s success with a strong win over Anton Demchenko. His victory completed a 3-0 sweep for India, securing the men’s team their first gold in the open category.
The Indian women’s team matched the men’s success with performance against Azerbaijan. D. Harika, Divya Deshmukh, R. Vaishali and Vantika Agrawal led the team to a 3.5-0.5 victory, earning India its second gold medal. Harika played a key role on the top board, showcasing her technical skills. Divya Deshmukh excelled again, defeating her opponent and securing not only the team’s gold but also an individual gold medal on the third board. Vantika Agrawal delivered a win, confirming India’s win and achieving double gold in the Olympiad.
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