New Delhi [India], September 23 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated the Indian team for securing two gold medals in both the men's and women's events at the International Chess Federation (FIDE) Chess Olympiad and said that the achievement marks a "new chapter" in India's sports tragectory.
India delivered an outstanding performance at the FIDE Chess Olympiad in Budapest, securing gold medals in both the men's and women's events on Sunday.
"Historic win for India as our chess contingent wins the 45th #FIDE Chess Olympiad! India has won the Gold in both open and women's category at Chess Olympiad! Congratulations to our incredible Men's and Women's Chess Teams. This remarkable achievement marks a new chapter in India's sports trajectory. May this success inspire generations of chess enthusiasts to excel in the game," PM Modi stated in a post on X.
India's men's team, comprising D Gukesh, R. Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi, and Pentala Harikrishna, triumphed over Slovenia to clinch the gold medal. Wins from Gukesh and Erigaisi gave India a 2-0 lead, and Praggnanandhaa's subsequent victory, along with a draw from Vidit, sealed the gold with a 3.5-0.5 victory.
Meanwhile, the Indian women's team, featuring Harika Dronavalli, R. Vaishali, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agarwal, and Tania Sachdev, secured gold by defeating Azerbaijan 3.5-0.5. Harika, Divya, and Vantika each won their matches, while Vaishali drew her match.
Earlier, PM Modi also acknowledged Team India's double gold victory at the International Chess Federation (FIDE) Chess Olympiad during his address to the Indian diaspora at Nassau Coliseum in New York, where he said that "Bharat is full of energy and dreams."
PM Modi praised the achievements of both teams. "Bharat is full of energy and dreams. Every day we see new achievements. Today, both India men's and women's teams have won gold medals in Chess Olympiad," he said.
Later on Sunday, Prime Minister Modi will interact with the CEOs of leading US-based companies to foster greater collaborations between the two countries in the cutting-edge areas of AI, quantum computing, semiconductors, and biotechnology, among others.
Earlier on Saturday, PM Modi participated in the Quad Leaders' Summit in Wilmington, Delaware. He along with Australian PM Anthony Albanese and Japanese PM Fumio Kishida were hosted by US President Joe Biden.