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AICF Announce: The All India Chess Federation has announced a substantial reward of Rs 3.2 crore for the Indian teams that triumphed at the recent Chess Olympiad in Budapest. During a felicitation ceremony AICF president Nitin Narang shared that each player from the winning teams will receive Rs 25 lakh. Coaches Abhijeet Kunte and Srinath Narayanan will be rewarded with Rs 15 lakh each. while Grandmaster Dibyendu Barua who led the Indian delegation will receive Rs 10 lakh. The assistant coaches will also be honored with Rs 7.5 lakh each.
Narang celebrated this remarkable achievement emphasizing that the Indian teams not only excelled in the open section but also showcased dominance in the women category. The hunger for gold may have concluded in Hungary but our quest for success continue he remarked. He credited chess legend Vishwanathan Anand for nurturing a thriving chess culture in India stating that the seeds he planted have flourished into a vibrant community.
AICF secretary general Dev A. Patel highlighted the significance of winning gold in both categories for the first time in the 97-year history of the Chess Olympiad. This historic victory is expected to ignite a chess revolution across the nation inspiring a new generation of players.
India success was marked by exceptional performances from both teams. The men team featuring stars like D. Gukesh Arjun Erigaisi and R. Praggnanandhaa dominated throughout the tournament clinching victory against Slovenia in the final. Gukesh stood out winning 10 out of 11 rounds. The women team led by D. Harika and Tania Sachdev triumphed over Azerbaijan in a tense finale securing their gold medal and making history for Indian chess.
PM Narendra Modi Meets Chess players Hails India Historic Double Gold Triumph
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised India young chess players for their historic success at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest. where both the men and women teams secured their first gold medals. The momentous achievement was celebrated after the men team triumphed over Slovenia and the women team defeated Azerbaijan in the final round.
In the men competition standout players D. Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi and R. Praggnanandhaa delivered decisive victories in the final round contributing significantly to the team performance. Gukesh shone particularly bright winning 10 out of 11 rounds in the Open category. The women team also made headlines with their win against Azerbaijan cementing their place in chess history.
In a heartwarming video shared on social media Modi interacted with the champions, including R. Vaishali, D. Harika, Tania Sachdev, Vidit Gujrathi, Erigaisi and Praggnanandhaa. During their meeting the players gifted the Prime Minister a chessboard and a brief game between Praggnanandhaa and Erigaisi captivated Modi.
The Sports Ministry released footage of the Indian chess contingent as they left their hotel to meet the Prime Minister showcasing the pride and excitement surrounding their achievements. The men team finished the tournament with an impressive 21 out of 22 possible points achieving a remarkable record with only one draw against Uzbekistan. This success marks a significant milestone for Indian chess on the global stage.
How Vantika Agrawal propelled India to Chess Olympiad glory
The Indian women team encountered some tense moments in Budapest but held firm to clinch the country maiden gold medal in the final round of the 45th Chess Olympiad. Vantika Agrawal 21 playing in her second Olympiad was a revelation. She became only the second Indian woman after Divya Deshmukh to go unbeaten in the tournament winning six of her nine games. Vantika performed impressively despite missing the preparatory camp in Ahmedabad before the Olympiad.
I was super confident
I couldn’t go to Ahmedabad because I wasn’t feeling well but I kept in touch with the coaches and my teammates. We talked about the game plan and openings I would use making changes as needed. I practiced a lot so I wasn’t too worried. I thought to myself I will give my best. I have to do this Vantika shared with The Bridge. Her strong performance led to crucial wins at important moments. I felt super confident during the Olympiad. When I’m in good form no one can stop me she said.
Although Vantika had played in the previous Olympiad in Chennai in 2022 this was her first time competing for the senior women team making her gold medal win even more exciting. When asked if she had expected India to dominate and win she mentioned her confidence in the team strength. I thought it would go this way and everything went smoothly. Our team—Harika, Vaishali, Divya, Tania and I—was very strong. We knew that if we handled the pressure and played our game we would succeed,” Vantika explained.
Reflecting on her role in the team victory, Vantika noted Until round seven we won all our matches. In the last Olympiad I played board one for India B and achieved seven wins out of nine games so I was hoping for similar success this time. Under the guidance of coach Abhijit Kunte the Indian women team secured nine wins out of their 11 rounds with only one loss against Poland.
India remained unbeaten for the first seven rounds including a vital victory over second-seeded Georgia in the seventh round. Vantika playing on the fourth board managed to defeat Grandmaster Bella Khotenashvilli under intense time pressure a 1.5-2.5 loss to Poland in the eighth round posed a significant challenge to India campaign. The team showcased remarkable resilience managing to secure a 2-2 draw against the USA in the ninth round which kept their gold medal aspirations alive.
Recalling the atmosphere after the defeat to Poland Vantika emphasized the importance of the draw against the USA. After losing to Poland it was essential to get that draw. If we hadn’t the gold would have slipped away. Every game mattered but I believe the win against Georgia and the draw against the USA were the two most critical matches for us she explained.
Shock and awe in world of chess after India show of strength at Chess Olympiad
The Indian chess contingent made waves at the recent Chess Olympiad capturing three team gold medals: one in the open section one in the women category and an overall victory. individual gold medals were claimed by standout players Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, Divya Deshmukh and Vantika Agrawal. This remarkable feat showcased India’s unprecedented dominance specially considering the competition from over 180 nations.
The level of India performance was so compelling that even their opponents couldn’t help but offer praise. Grandmaster Anish Giri articulated this sentiment stating, “What we witnessed at the Olympiad was something we anticipated. Given the trends over the past few years it was clear that India was on the verge of a major breakthrough. Everyone was talking about it but to actually see it happen was surprising yet not surprising at the same time. Giri shared that he found inspiration in the impressive play of Indian competitors noting how it spurred him to improve his own performance during the event.
Giri began the tournament with some uncertainty but ultimately secured six wins attributing this success to the high level of play he observed from the Indian team. He remarked It was incredible to see not only that India won but also how powerful some of the young players have become. The number of points scored by Arjun Erigaisi and Gukesh was remarkable. In the upcoming Global Chess League Giri will team up with Nihal Sarin another rising star among India chess prodigies.
Discussing the open section Giri noted that India displayed complete dominance from the outset finishing the tournament without a loss. He specifically mentioned the match against his team. where they lost 3-1—a result he considered fortunate under the circumstances as they struggled to gain an advantage on any board. Giri expressed greater admiration for the women team who were not as heavily favored but triumphed in a tightly contested field.
Grandmaster Richard Rapport echoed Giri sentiments stating When you have players like Arjun and Gukesh at their best it’s incredibly tough to compete against India. Having Arjun play on board three adds to the challenge as his caliber is typically reserved for the top boards. Rapport emphasized the strength of India lineup mentioning Vidit Gujrathi who could easily be a first board player for many teams. Notably chess legend Vishy Anand didn’t participate and there are even more young talents waiting to join the national team.
Rapport admired the exceptional pairing of Arjun and Gukesh pointing out that it’s rare for two players of such high caliber to emerge simultaneously from the same country. At the Olympiad both Arjun and Gukesh scored an incredible number of points,” he noted. Their competitive relationship has been a positive force, allowing them to thrive rather than detract from one another success. They’ve grown together focusing on their own games without any jealousy Giri added highlighting their mutual respect and individual drive.
In conclusion India historic performance at the Chess Olympiad has set a new standard for excellence in chess With a strong team of young talents and seasoned players the future of Indian chess looks brighter than ever. The combination of skill teamwork and a supportive environment has positioned India as a formidable force on the global chess stage and the world is now keenly watching their next moves.
