The triumphant Indian Chess Olympiad champions were showered with accolades on Thursday, receiving felicitations from Union Sports Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya and Raksha Khadse, the Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports. The champions, who recently secured gold in both the open and women’s categories at the prestigious Budapest Olympiad, were visibly elated with the recognition, coming just a day after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Minister Mandaviya, beaming with pride, highlighted the significance of India’s dominance in chess, asserting that the country’s strength lies not only in its manpower but also in its intellectual prowess. He underscored the government’s commitment to fostering a nurturing environment for athletes across all sports disciplines, stating, “We want our athletes to feel motivated to showcase their talent on the world stage and bring laurels to the nation.”
Emphasizing the role of sporting achievements in shaping India’s global identity as the nation strides towards becoming a developed power, Minister Mandaviya urged the champions to share their remarkable journeys of hard work, resilience, and dedication with the nation’s youth. He implored them to serve as inspirational figures, emphasizing, “You are youth icons and youth ambassadors. It is your responsibility to motivate the next generation to adopt the spirit of Nation first.”
Adding to the team’s golden triumph, four individual Indian players, D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, Divya Deshmukh, and Vantika Agrawal, also clinched gold medals on their respective boards. The chess champions, deeply inspired by their achievements, reiterated their unwavering commitment to pursuing excellence and making the nation proud in future competitions.
