Indian chess needs corporate support

YES, BUT...Last Sunday, India scripted history as both its men's and women's teams clinched maiden golds at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary.

- SANDEEP GOYAL

The men's team defeated Slovenia after D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, and R Praggnanandhaa won their respective matches in the 11th and final round. The women's team beat Azerbaijan 3.5-0.5 to clinch the title. India had earlier come close, but never secured a top podium finish. The men had previously won two bronzes in 2014 and 2022, while the women had won a bronze in the 2022 edition in Chennai. But this time around, thankfully, it was gold all the way.

The men's contingent ended up with a remarkable 21 points out of a possible 22. They conceded just a lone 2-2 draw to Uzbekistan while beating all their other opponents. The Indian women's team then obtained a rare double gold for the country as they scored an emphatic final round victory against Azerbaijan.

India has rarely been No 1 globally in any game or sport, bar cricket (hockey is re-emerging after decades in the dumps, but that supremacy is still very iffy). So, it is heartening to see ourselves emerge as world beaters in chess.