Sep 24, 2024
By: Prerna Tyagi
Credit: BCCL
India triumphed at the 2024 FIDE Chess Olympiad in Budapest, clinching gold in both the Open and Women's categories. This victory is a monumental milestone for the country, with the Indian teams bringing home the Hamilton-Russell Cup (Open), Vera Menchik Cup (Women’s), and the Gaprindashvili Cup for the best overall performance.
Credit: BCCL
In 1988, Viswanathan Anand became India's first Grandmaster, transforming the landscape of Indian chess. A five-time World Champion, Anand is celebrated for breaking the Soviet chess dominance and paving the way for the country's golden era in chess, as can be seen from the participation of the following players.
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At just 18, D. Gukesh is already World No. 7. Gukesh led India to victory at the 2024 Olympiad with stunning wins against top players like Fabiano Caruana and Wei Yi. His consistent performance at the top board makes him a strong contender for the upcoming World Championship.
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R. Praggnanandhaa, 19, World No. 12, captured national attention with his World Cup final run in 2023. Praggnanandhaa remains one of the brightest young stars in Indian chess.
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Vantika Agrawal, 21, World No. 75, consistently rose to the occasion whenever her team needed her the most. Playing on the fourth board, she delivered crucial wins that helped propel the Indian women’s team to their historic Olympiad gold.
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R. Vaishali, 23, World No. 12, may not have performed best at the 2024 Olympiad, but she still secured crucial points on the second board for the Indian women’s team. As one of the fastest-rising stars in women’s chess, Vaishali's future looks bright.
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Tania Sachdev, 38, World No. 58, balanced her role as a reserve player. Remaining unbeaten in her five games, she provided crucial support to the Indian women’s team during their gold-winning campaign.
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Vidit Gujrathi, 29, World No. 24, proved himself at the Olympiad with consistent performances on the fourth board. His recent victory at the FIDE Grand Swiss 2023 reinvigorated his career, contributing to India’s first-ever Open gold at the Olympiad.
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Divya Deshmukh, 18, World No. 15, has come a long way since her National Under-9 girls' championship win. Playing on the third board, she was India’s highest scorer in the Women's team at the Olympiad.
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Arjun Erigaisi, 21, World No. 4, dominated the third board at Budapest, consistently outplaying his opponents.
Credit: BCCL