Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Team India’s historic double gold triumph at the International Chess Federation (FIDE) Chess Olympiad, declaring that “Bharat is brimming with energy and aspirations.”
India’s exceptional performance in Budapest culminated in gold medals for both the men’s and women’s teams on Sunday. Addressing the Indian diaspora at Nassau Coliseum in New York, PM Modi lauded their achievements.
“India is a nation brimming with energy and dreams. We witness new milestones every day. Today, both our men’s and women’s teams have brought home gold medals from the Chess Olympiad,” he said.
In the final round, India’s men’s team, led by D Gukesh, R. Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi, and Pentala Harikrishna, emerged victorious over Slovenia to secure the gold. Gukesh and Erigaisi’s wins gave India an early 2-0 lead, while Praggnanandhaa’s subsequent victory and Vidit’s draw sealed the gold with a 3.5-0.5 triumph.
Meanwhile, the Indian women’s team, featuring Harika Dronavalli, R. Vaishali, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agarwal, and Tania Sachdev, also clinched gold by defeating Azerbaijan 3.5-0.5. Harika, Divya, and Vantika secured individual victories, while Vaishali drew her match.
PM Modi’s visit to New York marks the second leg of his three-day trip to the United States. On Saturday, he participated in the Quad Summit and held bilateral meetings with US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
The Quad has emerged as a pivotal group of like-minded nations collaborating for peace, progress, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. PM Modi and President Biden explored new avenues to further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.
PM Modi will also engage with prominent American business leaders, who play a crucial role in fostering the unique partnership between the world’s largest and oldest democracies. He is scheduled to address the Summit of the Future at the UN General Assembly in New York.
