Indian chess grandmaster D. Gukesh received a hero’s welcome at Chennai airport after India’s historic double gold medal win in both the men’s and women’s categories at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest.
This achievement marks India’s first-ever gold at the Olympiad, placing the nation in elite company to have clinched double gold medals in a single edition.
Gukesh, one of the standout performers for the Indian team, played a pivotal role in the men’s team’s success. He scored an impressive 9/10 points, propelling his live rating to 2,794, securing a world number five ranking. His performance was instrumental in India’s triumph, along with the contributions of teammates R. Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi, and Pentala Harikrishna, who secured a dominant 3.5-0.5 victory over Slovenia in the final round.
Reflecting on his approach to the Olympiad, Gukesh revealed that he treated it as an individual event with the aim to perform at his best, especially in preparation for the upcoming World Chess Championships in Singapore starting in November.
He expressed his joy at India’s success, stating, “I just wanted to perform well in this specific tournament… Now will be heading to the World Championship, and for now, I am very happy. There are still a couple of months left, and I will work harder and be fully ready.”
India’s women’s team, composed of Harika Dronavalli, R. Vaishali, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agarwal, and Tania Sachdev, also delivered an outstanding performance, securing a 3.5-0.5 win over Azerbaijan to clinch gold. Harika, Divya, and Vantika won their games, while Vaishali secured a draw, further cementing India’s dominance at the Olympiad.
Gukesh’s rise in the chess world continues to inspire, and his focus now shifts to the World Chess Championships, where he will compete as one of the top challengers for the title.