On September 23, 2024, India made history by winning its first-ever gold medal in the 45th Chess Olympiad. Both the Indian men’s and women’s teams secured victories against their opponents in the final round. Grandmasters D. Gukesh, Arjun Kalyan, and R. Praggnanandhaa each won their matches against Slovenia in the 11th round, showcasing impressive performances that contributed to India’s title in the open category. The Indian men’s team finished the tournament with 21 points out of a possible 22, with only a draw against Uzbekistan.
The women’s team defeated Azerbaijan 3.5-0.5 to clinch the gold. D. Harika displayed technical prowess on the first board, while Divya Deshmukh overcame her opponent to secure her individual gold on the third board. After Vaishali R.’s draw, Vantika Agrawal’s outstanding win ensured the gold for the Indian team. Previously, India had won bronze medals in the 2014 and 2022 tournaments, and the women’s team had secured bronze in Chennai in 2022.