NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Indian chess contingent on Monday for its strong showing at the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, where the country secured a silver medal in the Open section and a bronze in the women’s event.
“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 wrote on X.
India also retained the prestigious Nona Gaprindashvili Trophy, awarded to the country with the best combined performance in the Open and Women’s sections of the Chess Olympiad.
It was the third consecutive edition in which India won the trophy, following its success at the 2022 Olympiad in Chennai and the 2024 edition in Budapest, where the country secured gold medals in both the Open and women’s sections.
In the Open section, hosts Uzbekistan won the gold after defeating Ukraine 2.5-1.5 in the final round, while India settled for silver following a 2-2 draw against Hungary. Germany claimed bronze.
India and Germany finished level on 18 match points and 28.5 game points, with India taking the silver on the basis of its head-to-head result against Germany.
In the women’s section, China clinched gold after beating Vietnam 3-1, while Kazakhstan took silver. India secured bronze after drawing 2-2 against Georgia in the final round.
Savitha played a crucial role for India by holding her position to secure a draw against Meri Arabidze, while Koneru Humpy registered a win on the top board.
India’s strong individual performances also contributed to its overall success. Savitha Shri won a gold medal, while Divya Deshmukh claimed silver and Vantika Agrawal and Koneru Humpy won bronze medals. In the Open section, D Gukesh took silver and R Praggnanandhaa won bronze.
The Gaprindashvili Trophy, created by FIDE in 1997 and named after legendary Georgian player Nona Gaprindashvili, reflects a federation’s combined strength and depth across the two sections of the Olympiad.
