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'Viswanathan Anand's legacy is secured'
'Bharat is full of energy and dreams. Every day we see new achievements'
Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand, on Sunday, congratulated the Indian men's and women's teams for their historic gold medal wins at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest.
India made history as both its men's and women's teams clinched their first-ever gold medals at the 45th Chess Olympiad. The men's team defeated Slovenia and the women's counterparts overcame Azerbaijan in the final round.
"Congrats to Team India for winning the last round as well! Sensational @DGukesh and @ArjunErigaisi, but also congrats to @viditchess on an impressive result. Great captaincy by @srinathchess," Anand wrote on 'X'.
"Congrats to India's Women's team. Great result by the whole team and captain @chessgmkunte and a special mention to @DivyaDeshmukh05 and to @vantikachess for her performance."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged Team India's double gold victory and said that "Bharat is full of energy and dreams."
Addressing Indian diaspora at Nassau Coliseum in New York, 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.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also lauded the historic achievement.
"India makes History in Chess! Huge congratulations to our Men's Chess team - @DGukesh, @ArjunErigaisi, @praggchess, @viditchess, and @HariChess for winning GOLD at the Chess Olympiad," Mandaviya tweeted.
"This is India's FIRST-EVER win in this prestigious event! Our chess heroes have made India proud, showcasing their brilliance and hard work on the global stage!"
Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura of the United States commended five-time world champion Anand for inspiring the next generation of chess players in India.
"It is truly unfathomable how this kid would come from a country with no chess culture and not only become World Champion, but inspire generations of Indian kids to push chess forward. The legend, @vishy64theking!" Nakamura tweeted.
"Huge congratulations to India for winning the @ChessOlympiad! Wrapping up the Olympiad recaps and nothing but praise for both of India's teams dominating the event. @
Leader of the Opposition of Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi took to his official X handle and hailed India's men's team for winning the first-ever Gold Medal in the Open Section at the Chess Olympiad.
"Thrilled to see Team India clinch its first-ever Gold Medal in the Open Section at the Chess Olympiad Huge congratulations to Gukesh Dommaraju, Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, Pentala Harikrishna, Srinath Narayanan, and their teams. Your remarkable talent, brilliant strategies, and dedication have paid off. Wishing you all continued excellence. Your golden victory has made the country immensely proud. Jai Hind," Rahul Gandhi wrote on X.
Rahul Gandhi also congratulated the women's team and said that he is incredibly proud of the champions.
"Double Gold for India at the Chess Olympiad! Incredibly proud of our champions - Divya Deshmukh, R Vaishali, D Harika, Tania Sachdev, Vantika Agrawal, their Captain Abhijit Kunte and their teams. Heartfelt congratulations to each of you. Your brilliance, teamwork, and dedication have made this remarkable victory possible. You are a shining example of what India's daughters can achieve and a source of inspiration to millions across the country. A truly historic day for India," Rahul Gandhi wrote on X while congratulating the women's team.
The Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge hailed the India's men's team for their "exceptional skill, strategic brilliance, and unwavering dedication" in the final round of Chess Olympiad.
"History made! Congratulations to Team India on securing their first-ever Gold Medal in the Open Section at the Chess Olympiad! Gukesh Dommaraju, Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, Pentala Harikrishna, and Srinath Narayanan - your exceptional skill, strategic brilliance, and unwavering dedication have earned India its rightful place on the podium. Your golden triumph has filled the nation's heart with pride! May your achievement inspire future generations of Indian chess players," Kharge wrote on X.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday lauded the Indian team for clinching gold in the 45th Chess Olympiad, hailing the "relentless dedication" of the champions.
"India continues to rise and shine! From our remarkable hosting of the Chess Olympiad in Chennai to now claiming gold in both the men's and women's categories at the 45th FIDE #ChessOlympiad Budapest 2024, what a journey," Stalin said in a post on 'X.'
It was heartwarming to witness the "relentless dedication of our chess champions, pushing boundaries and bringing glory to the nation on the global stage."
"Congratulations, #TeamIndia, on this historic achievement!," Stalin added.
The men's team secured victory over Slovenia in the 11th and final round with wins from D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, and R Praggnanandhaa. Meanwhile, the women's team sealed a 3.5-0.5 win against Azerbaijan, completing a historic double for India.
Indian men had previously won bronze medals in 2014 and 2022, while the women's team claimed bronze in the 2022 edition held in Chennai.