India returned from the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, with two team medals — silver in the open section and bronze in the women’s event. Yet, instead of widespread celebrations, the Indian contingent left the tournament reflecting on what might have been.
The reason is simple: India had entered the Olympiad with expectations of defending both gold medals won in Budapest in 2024. At the previous edition, both Indian teams went unbeaten and secured their titles with a round to spare, setting an exceptionally high benchmark.
This time, Uzbekistan won the open section, while China took gold in the women’s competition. India still finished on the podium in both sections and retained the Nona Gaprindashvili Cup, awarded to the federation with the best combined performance across the open and women’s tournaments.
India’s open team lost only once during the 11-round tournament, going down to hosts Uzbekistan. The team was also held to draws by Azerbaijan and Hungary, results that proved costly in the battle for the top position.
Vidit Gujrathi summed up the mood inside the Indian camp by saying the players were proud of the silver medal, but were not celebrating it in the same way as their 2024 triumph. The previous Olympiad had been so dominant that it created an unusually high benchmark for the team.
There were also strong individual performances. R Praggnanandhaa remained unbeaten in three wins, while D Gukesh produced seven wins in his first 10 games before losing his final-round encounter. Nihal Sarin recorded four wins but also suffered two defeats, while Arjun Erigaisi had two wins and one defeat across his 10 games.
The women’s team also had several standout performances. Savitha Shri emerged as one of India’s biggest performers, winning eight games and drawing two. Vantika Agrawal recorded five wins and one defeat, while Koneru Humpy remained unbeaten with four wins and six draws.
However, the women’s team missed an opportunity to challenge for gold after a crucial penultimate-round encounter against China. Captain Swayams Mishra said India had a good chance of beating China, while Kazakhstan’s unexpected result in the same round also affected the final-round pairings.
The pressure surrounding the teams was also reflected in the reaction on social media. Indian players and coaches faced criticism despite finishing on the podium in both sections. Team officials acknowledged that the expectations surrounding Indian chess have grown significantly in recent years.
For the players, however, the medals remain significant achievements. Six Indian players also won individual medals, including gold for Savitha Shri. India additionally retained the Nona Gaprindashvili Trophy, underlining the country’s overall strength across both sections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan congratulated the Indian chess contingent following the tournament. Modi praised the players’ passion and determination, while the Vice President highlighted the open team’s silver, women’s team’s bronze and the individual medals won by Indian players.
The contrasting emotions surrounding India’s performance therefore reflect two things at once: the teams have achieved strong podium finishes, but they also believe their performances left opportunities for gold on the table. With Indian chess continuing to produce leading players across generations, the Samarkand results are being viewed by the contingent as both an achievement and a reminder of the fine margins separating medals of different colours.
