AICF announces Rs 3.2 crore rewards for Olympiad-winning teams | Read

New Delhi: The All India Chess Federation has declared a generous reward of Rs 3.2 crore for the victorious Indian teams at the historic 45th Chess Olympiad, announced AICF President Nitin Narang during a felicitation ceremony on Wednesday.

Each member of the winning teams will be awarded Rs 25 lakh, while team captains Abhijeet Kunte and Srinath Narayanan of the men’s and women’s teams, respectively, will each receive Rs 15 lakh. Grandmaster Dibyendu Barua, who led the Indian delegation, will be given Rs 10 lakh, and the assistant coaches will each get Rs 7.5 lakh.

“The quest for gold concluded in Hungary, yet our pursuit of excellence persists. We dominated the open section and triumphed in the women’s section,” stated AICF President Narang at the event.

“Our players are precise marksmen on the chessboard. The seeds sown by Viswanathan Anand have blossomed into a vast forest,” remarked AICF Secretary General Dev A Patel, adding that the historic double gold medals will catalyze a chess revolution in India.

“After 97 years of the Chess Olympiad, securing gold in both categories is a monumental feat,” Patel noted.

“This will ignite a new passion among chess enthusiasts. We aim to harness this momentum to inspire the upcoming generation of chess players.” India created history at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest, as both the men’s and women’s teams won their first gold medals, signifying a landmark moment for Indian chess.

The men’s team, comprising D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, and R Praggnanandhaa, showed remarkable superiority, overcoming Slovenia in the final round. Gukesh, the standout player, triumphed in 10 out of 11 rounds, catapulting India to victory with 21 out of a possible 22 points. The women’s team, with D Harika, Tania Sachdev, and R Vaishali at the helm, clinched their gold by outplaying Azerbaijan in a gripping finale.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, earlier on Wednesday, extended personal congratulations to the victors, commending their commitment and their influence on Indian sports.