PM Modi Hails Indian Chess Stars After Olympiad Glory
PM Modi congratulates the Indian chess contingent for securing silver and bronze at the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended his heartfelt congratulations to the Indian chess contingent following their remarkable performance at the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand. The Indian players demonstrated extraordinary skill, securing a silver medal in the Open section and a bronze in the women's category.
Taking to the social media platform X, the Prime Minister lauded the players for their grit and spirit. “Congratulations to our Chess players! Their passion and determination are exemplary. May these successes motivate several more youngsters to play chess and excel,” PM Modi stated.
A Historic Hat-Trick: The Nona Gaprindashvili Trophy
Beyond the individual medals, India has achieved a monumental feat by retaining the prestigious Nona Gaprindashvili Trophy. This trophy is awarded to the nation that displays the best combined performance across both the Open and Women's sections.
This victory marks a historic third consecutive win for India, following previous triumphs at the 2022 Chennai Olympiad and the 2024 Budapest edition. In Budapest, India had even achieved the ultimate glory by securing gold medals in both sections.
Breakdown of the Olympiad Battles
The competition in Samarkand was intense, with India fighting hard in every round:
- Open Section: In a nail-biting finish, India secured the silver medal after a 2-2 draw against Hungary. While India and Germany finished with identical match and game points, India claimed the silver based on their superior head-to-head result against the German side. The gold was claimed by the hosts, Uzbekistan, who defeated Ukraine in the final round.
- Women's Section: The Indian women's team secured a bronze medal after a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Georgia in the final round. China took home the gold after defeating Vietnam, while Kazakhstan earned the silver.
Individual Brilliance on the Board
The collective success was fueled by standout individual performances that highlighted the depth of Indian chess talent:
Women's Individual Achievements:
- Savitha Shri: Played a pivotal role by securing a crucial draw against Meri Arabidze and earned an individual gold medal.
- Koneru Humpy: Registered a vital win on the top board and secured an individual bronze.
- Divya Deshmukh: Claimed an individual silver medal.
- Vantika Agrawal: Earned an individual bronze medal.
Open Section Individual Achievements:
- D Gukesh: Delivered a stellar performance to win the individual silver medal.
- R Praggnanandhaa: Secured an individual bronze medal.
The Nona Gaprindashvili Trophy, established by FIDE in 1997 and named after the legendary Georgian grandmaster, remains the ultimate testament to a nation's overall chess strength and developmental depth.