India made history at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary, clinching gold in both the Open and Women’s events. The men's team played an outstanding tournament, winning 27 out of 44 games, losing just once, and drawing the rest. The women’s team, on the other hand, secured a thrilling 3-1 victory over Azerbaijan.
The celebrations from the Indian teams have gone viral on social media, with a popular clip featuring Tania Sachdev and D. Gukesh mimicking Rohit Sharma’s iconic World Cup-winning walk while holding their trophies. Originally inspired by Lionel Messi’s 2022 FIFA World Cup celebration, the video has garnered over 19 million views. Fans flooded social media with praise, with one user saying, “Many congratulations Team India, you’ve made the nation proud,” while another humorously commented, “This is the closest Gukesh has come to acting his age on camera!”
Prominent business leader Anand Mahindra also chimed in, dedicating his #MondayMotivation post to the Indian Chess Olympiad champions, praising their historic achievement. "Double Gold medals. Double the motivation," he remarked, acknowledging ChessBase India for its passionate coverage.
India’s triumph in the men’s competition was powered by stellar performances from Gukesh D., Arjun Erigaisi, and R. Praggnanandhaa. Arjun was named the best performer on Board 3, winning 10 out of 11 games. In the women’s category, Harika Dronavalli, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agrawal, Tania Sachdev, and Vaishali Rameshbabu led India to their first-ever gold, completing the country's historic sweep at the Olympiad.
Gukesh, Erigaisi, Deshmukh, and Agrawal also earned individual gold medals for their performances on their respective boards. Indian chess legend Viswanathan Anand hailed the achievement as “unbelievable,” saying the double victory surpassed even his high expectations. "It feels like a magical time for Indian chess," Anand, a five-time world champion, shared.
This year’s Chess Olympiad marks a significant moment for Indian chess. Having previously shared the 2020 gold with Russia in the pandemic-affected online edition, this clean victory cements India’s rise in the global chess arena. As Gukesh expressed after the win, “We’re very happy with how we played as a team.”
The Indian women’s team also shone brightly. Eighteen-year-old Divya Deshmukh, undefeated throughout the tournament, remained a standout performer, winning seven and drawing four of her 11 games. Reflecting on the intense competition, Deshmukh said, “It started well but got tough in the middle. I’m proud of how we fought back.”
Four-time world champion Susan Polgar praised Deshmukh’s exceptional performance, predicting continued success for India. “This team will stay on top for years,” she wrote, highlighting India’s dominant emergence in the world of chess.
India’s achievement of two team gold medals and four individual golds is hailed as the dawn of a new era for Indian chess, with many believing the country is well on its way to becoming the strongest chess nation globally.