India made history at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary, by winning gold in both the open and women’s categories for the first time. The Indian chess team, made up of four men and four women, celebrated this incredible achievement with the national flag held high.
Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma joined in the celebrations, though not in person. His iconic trophy-lifting style was recreated by chess players D Gukesh and Tanya Sachdev. They entered the stage from opposite sides, holding the trophy, before handing it to their teammates. India’s dominance was clear before the final round against Slovenia, with 19 points in 10 rounds. China was close behind with 17 points but dropped points against the USA.
However, India didn’t rely on others' results. Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, and Praggnanandhaa won their respective matches, securing India’s gold. Gukesh’s victory against Slovenia’s Vladimir Fedoseev was especially significant, as the 18-year-old is set to challenge China’s Ding Liren for the world championship. India’s women’s team also claimed gold after defeating China in the 10th round and Azerbaijan in the final round. Harika Dronavalli, Divya Deshmukh, and Vantika Agrawal won their games, while Vaishali Rameshbabu drew hers, ensuring India’s first women’s gold at the Olympiad.
