On September 22, 2024, the Indian chess teams etched their names into the history books. The men’s team, led by Gukesh Dommaraju, Arjun Erigaisi, and R. Praggnanandhaa, clinched the gold by defeating Slovakia in the final round. At the same time, the women’s team, consisting of Harika Dronavalli, R. Vaishali, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agarwal, and Tania Sachdev, triumphed over Azerbaijan with a commanding 3.5-0.5 win.
This marks the first time India has won gold in both categories simultaneously, a feat that few teams have accomplished at the Olympiad.
Speaking about the monumental victory, R. Praggnanandhaa expressed his pride, stating, “This is a very historic achievement, and there are very few teams who have won both medals at the same time. We are winning for the first time, and this is a proud moment for all of us.”
Praggnanandhaa, who played a crucial role in the men’s team, reflected on the lessons learned from the 2022 Olympiad held in Chennai, where the team narrowly missed out on gold. “This time, we were more experienced and managed to leverage that to secure gold. We didn’t follow any particular technique; we just played our best.”
The success of the Indian teams can be attributed to a seamless blend of strategy, experience, and collaboration. Men’s team captain Srinath highlighted how the journey through the tournament was smooth, stating, "India has won the gold medal at the Olympiad for the first time, and it’s a historic achievement. As captain, I can say that everything went smoothly from the start. It was a complete team effort."
India’s performance at the 45th Chess Olympiad not only brings glory to the nation but also boosts the popularity of chess. With players like Praggnanandhaa, Gukesh, and Harika leading the charge, chess is expected to grow even further across India.
India’s double gold at the 2024 Chess Olympiad signals the beginning of a new era for chess in the country. This historic victory is set to inspire a new generation of players and fans, bringing the game to more people than ever before. With such immense talent and team spirit, the future of Indian chess looks brighter than ever.
Leave a Comment - (Links Acceptable)