oppn parties Budapest Chess Olympiad: India Are World Team Champions

Story Of The Day

Tiranga Rally Is Excellent. Breaking The Law Was Not

October 17, 2026

People Are Talking About

People Are Talking About Junk Food Near Schools

News Snippets

  • Allahabad HC said that the UP Police is acting as law unto themselves as they detained a person unlawfully even before his arrest
  • Kolkata witnesses traffic snarls on the first day of the Durga Puja festival as revellers start pnadal-hopping
  • Neha Bora was subsequently released and Dipke is to appear before a magistrate today at noon
  • Delhi Police detained Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke, Neha Bora of AISA, student leaders and supporters ahead of a rally in Connaught Place demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation. The protest followed the detention and jailing of two CJP leaders earlier in the week over demonstrations at Jantar Mantar
  • The Reserve Bank of India is considering further monetary tightening to counter capital outflows and increase the cost of betting against the rupee, according to bankers and analysts cited by Reuters. The measures follow recent rate increases and steps to drain liquidity as pressure on the currency and inflation concerns persist
  • India directed oil marketing companies to stop diverting sugar-based feedstocks for ethanol production in the 2026–27 supply year, according to a new tender issued on Friday. The companies have invited bids for 11 billion litres of ethanol made from alternatives including corn and broken rice, amid concerns about domestic sugar supplies and prices
  • Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said India's trade imbalance with China was growing sharply and attributed the problem partly to restrictions on Indian goods and services entering the Chinese market. China subsequently said it was ready to work with India to address mutual economic and trade concerns; India's trade deficit with China reached $69 billion in the first half of FY2026–27, up 27% year-on-year
  • Indian equity benchmarks extended their recovery on Friday, with the Sensex rising 413.66 points to close at 74,729.27 and the Nifty 50 gaining 148.80 points to settle at 23,146.15. Information technology shares, including Tech Mahindra, Infosys and TCS, helped lift the indices
  • India defeated Zimbabwe by four wickets in the opening women's T20 International in Raipur, taking a 1–0 lead in the three-match series. Deepti Sharma and Niki Prasad combined in an 82-run stand after India's top order collapsed, helping the hosts chase down Zimbabwe's total of 114 for five
  • Indian wrestler Komal won bronze in the women's 59 kg category at the Under-23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, defeating Kazakhstan's Viktoriia Khusainova 7–2. Fellow Indian Amruta Pujari advanced to the women's 72 kg final after recording two pinfall victories
  • Indian shuttler Jagsher Singh Khangurra secured a bronze medal at the BWF World Junior Badminton Championships in Cairo
  • The Supreme Court of India upheld the Bombay High Court's decision quashing the 2020 write-off of ₹8,415 crore in additional tier-1 bonds issued by Yes Bank (Yes Bank). The court ruled that the bank's administrator lacked the authority to extinguish the bonds under the final reconstruction scheme, strengthening bondholders' claims
  • The Supreme Court issued notices to the Election Commission of India, Delhi Police and opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, in separate petitions concerning electoral-roll revision and protests held in Delhi on October 10–12. The court also directed the preservation of CCTV footage linked to allegations of police excesses
  • The Supreme Court ruled that a person converting from Hinduism to Islam cannot automatically claim backward-class reservation benefits in the new religious community solely on the basis of their previous caste status. The judgment upheld the Madras High Court's decision striking down a 2024 Tamil Nadu government order that permitted such certification for specified communities
  • The Election Commission of India ordered a Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls in 14 states and three Union Territories, using January 1, 2027, as the qualifying date for voter eligibility. The draft rolls are scheduled for publication on November 12, claims and objections will be accepted until December 11, and the final rolls are due on January 4, 2027
Delhi HC refuses to ban CJP's Tiranga rally at Central Park in Connaught Place today /////// Police says will control and regulate it /////// NDMC closes the park for the public on Friday and Saturday
oppn parties
Budapest Chess Olympiad: India Are World Team Champions

By Sunil Garodia
First publised on 2024-09-26 04:21:59

About the Author

Sunil Garodia Editor-in-Chief of indiacommentary.com. Current Affairs analyst and political commentator. Author of Cyber Scams in India, Digital Arrest, The Money Trap and The Human Hack

No Doubt India Is Chess Superpower

If there was any doubt that a young generation of world beaters has transformed India into a chess superpower, Budapest Chess Olympiad laid it to rest. Vidit Gujrathi rightly said India is now a chess superpower. By winning both the men's and women's crown in spectacular fashion, the Indians proved that they are the best in the world right now. The men's team (seeded second) was totally dominant and lost only one game out of the 44 they played. The women's team (top seeds) showed composure and fighting qualities in abundance by bouncing back to claim the gold despite losing one match and drawing another mid-way in the series. The icing on the cake were individual golds won by D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, Deivya Deshmukh and Vantika Agarwal. Grandmaster D Gukesh, who is going to challenge world champion Ding Liren for the crown later this year, was spot-on when he said that Arjun Erigaisi and he were at their best in the tournament. Gukesh ended with the tournament without losing a single match.

Technology Has Helped

Although India has always been a fertile ground for chess talent, this surge of triumphs has been driven by several key factors. Technological revolution has made chess engines, software, and high-quality coaching accessible to players across the country, including those in smaller cities like Nagpur and Warangal. This has allowed players like Divya Deshmukh and Arjun Erigaisi to receive top-tier coaching from an early age. It also enables prodigies like Praggnanandhaa to train remotely with Russian master Peter Svidler and Gukesh with Poland's Grzegorz Gajewski, without the need for frequent international travel.

So Has Mentorship

Another crucial factor is the mentorship and guidance this generation has received from the previous wave of Indian grandmasters such as RB Ramesh, Sandipan Chanda, Srinath Narayanan, and Abhijit Kunte, which laid a strong foundation for their rapid development. Gukesh rightly said that captain Srinath Narayan's contribution in the team's triumph cannot be underestimated as he took care of everything and ensured that the team remained in high spirits and focused on its goal. Grandmaster Dibyendu Barua, head of the Indian delegation at the Olympiad, also contributed immensely. 

Support Is Not Lacking

The growing support from all corners of society has also been pivotal. Parents are now more encouraging of their children's chess ambitions, private sponsors are investing generously, and educational institutions are becoming more flexible, allowing young players to pursue chess as a primary focus. Moreover, government backing for chess has continued to expand, providing further momentum. In all this, the contribution of trailblazing Grandmaster Vishwanathan Anand must not be forgotten. His exploits had charmed many children to take up chess and he has trained winners like Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, Erigaisi, and Vaishali at his Westbridge Anand Chess Academy in Chennai. Praggnanandhaa has acknowledged that he is where he is today because of Anand's support and mentorship.

Future Looks Bright

This Olympiad triumph comes in a year marked by exceptional achievements for Indian chess. From Gukesh becoming the youngest player to qualify for the World Championship at 17, to Arjun Erigaisi breaking into the world's top 5, the nation's presence on the global chess stage has never been stronger. As the year progresses, it holds the potential for even more glory, particularly if Gukesh wins the World Championship at just 18. Whether or not that milestone is reached, the future of chess is unmistakably Indian.

Other Stories You Make Like

Editorials

Growth Without Jobs Is a Warning

Growth Without Jobs Is a Warning

 Delhi Curbs: Has The Government Panicked?

Delhi Curbs: Has The Government Panicked?

In Depth

Grounds Of Arrest: The Supreme Court's Rule Must Be Followed By The Police On The Ground

Grounds Of Arrest: The Supreme Court's Rule Must Be Followed By The Police On The Ground

Editor's Pick

For the Goonj to Reverberate, Rahul Gandhi Must Take Regional Parties Along

For the Goonj to Reverberate, Rahul Gandhi Must Take Regional Parties Along
© 2014 India Commentary. All rights reserved.