India made history on Sunday as both the men's and women's chess teams claimed their maiden gold medals at the 45th Chess Olympiad.
The men's team triumphed over Slovenia, while the women's team secured a dominant win against Azerbaijan, marking a landmark achievement in Indian chess.
In the men's final, D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, and R Praggnanadhaa delivered stellar performances in the 11th and final round. Gukesh showcased brilliant technical mastery with the black pieces against Vladimir Fedoseev, while Erigaisi outplayed Jan Subeli with black pieces on board three. Praggnanadhaa added a crushing victory over Anton Demchenko, securing a commanding 3-0 win for India with one game to spare.
This triumph earned the Indian men's team a stunning 21 points out of a possible 22, with their only draw being against Uzbekistan. This is India's first title in the open category, adding to their previous bronze medals from 2014 and 2022.
Meanwhile, the Indian women's team defeated Azerbaijan 3.5-0.5 to win their first-ever gold. D Harika impressed on the top board, while Divya Deshmukh, who also secured an individual gold on the third board, dominated her opponent. Vaishali Rameshbabu drew her game, and Vantika Agrawal sealed the victory with another brilliant performance.
This double victory highlights India's growing prominence in the international chess scene, as both the men's and women's teams celebrated their historic achievements on the world stage.
