India's cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar celebrated the Indian team's double gold triumph at the International Chess Federation (FIDE) Chess Olympiad. The Indian contingent showcased an exceptional performance at the Budapest Olympiad, securing top honors in both the men's and women's categories on Sunday.
"Two Golds, One Nation! Congratulations to both our men's and women's teams for securing the first spot at the ChessOlympiad2024," Sachin expressed on X. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also conveyed her congratulations to the Indian team, emphasizing that the entire nation is proud of their achievements.
"Indian players made history at the Chess Olympiad. The men's team achieved gold for the first time in the open section. The women's team also secured their first-ever gold. Many congratulations to all the players and team members. The whole country is proud of you all," Priyanka shared on X.
The men's team, consisting of D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi, and Pentala Harikrishna, outplayed Slovenia to claim the gold. Wins by Gukesh and Erigaisi put India ahead 2-0, and subsequent victories by Praggnanandhaa and a draw by Vidit sealed the gold with a 3.5-0.5 score.
Meanwhile, the women's team, featuring Harika Dronavalli, R Vaishali, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agarwal, and Tania Sachdev, secured their gold by defeating Azerbaijan 3.5-0.5. Harika, Divya, and Vantika each secured wins, while Vaishali's draw contributed to the victory.
The women's team improved upon their bronze medal from the Chennai Olympiad in 2022, marking their first-ever medal in the event. India's previous best performances in the Chess Olympiad were two bronze medals in 2014 and 2022.
