Chess Olympiad 2024: The Indian women's team has created history at the Chess Olympiad. India has secured its first-ever gold medal in the women's category at the Chess Olympiad. The Indian women's team defeated Azerbaijan to secure their victory. Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agrawal, and D Harika all won their matches, while R Vaishali's match ended in a draw. This historic achievement happened during the final of the 45th Chess Olympiad. Moreover, India also secured gold in the Open section this time.

India wins Double Gold

This marks the first time India has won double gold at the Chess Olympiad. Before securing gold in the women's category, India triumphed in the Open section, defeating all competitors. This achievement is a significant milestone in the history of Indian chess, highlighting the exceptional skills of women chess players in the country.

Remarkably, Indian men's chess team has also made history by winning gold at the Chess Olympiad for the first time. In Budapest, India achieved a remarkable feat by securing its first-ever Olympiad gold in both the Open and Women's categories. The Open team, consisting of Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi, and Harikrishna Pentala, won with an impressive lead of 4 points (21 against the USA's 17).

Following India's remarkable achievement at the Chess Olympiad, those involved in the sport are optimistic that interest among youth and children will grow. Young talents like D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, and Arjun Erigaisi are already making their mark internationally, and female players are also excelling. This victory is expected to inspire more young men and women to take up chess, leading to an increase in participation in the sport.

Chess at the International Level

With the rise of Indian chess players on the international stage, the need for sponsorship to support the sport is becoming more critical. Following this success, there is potential to attract more sponsorship and investment in chess, which could lead to expanded tournaments and training programs. This, in turn, will create better opportunities for players to develop their skills and compete at higher levels.