NEW DELHI: Defending champions India have named formidable men’s and women’s teams for the FIDE Chess Olympiad, with world champion D Gukesh, in-form R Praggnanandhaa and Women’s Candidates winner R Vaishali leading the country’s bid to retain both team titles in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from September 16 to 27.India made history at the 2024 Chess Olympiad by winning the open and women’s team gold medals for the first time, and the teams announced reflect the country’s determination to successfully defend the twin crowns.The men’s team will feature D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa, Nihal Sarin and Vidit Gujrathi, with experienced coach Srinath Narayanan serving as captain. Sarin is the only new face in the side that captured the Open title in 2024.The women’s team includes Koneru Humpy, R Vaishali, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agrawal and Savitha Shri B, under the captaincy of Swayams Mishra. Humpy and Savitha replace two members of last year’s gold medal-winning team, bolstering an already formidable form.
In the form of Praggnanandhaa, the rise of Vaishali raised India’s hopes
Team India combines proven champions with players enjoying outstanding recent form.Praggnanandhaa enters the Olympics full of confidence after winning the prestigious chess tournament in Norway in June. The 20-year-old produced one of the best performances of his career, defeating No. 1 of the world Magnus Carlsen and the world champion Gukesh on the way to the title.Gukesh, meanwhile, will be eager to get back to his best form after a disappointing outing at the just-concluded Chennai Grand Masters, where he finished bottom of the table with just two points after losing three of his seven matches.On the women’s side, Vaishali has become one of India’s brightest stars. Earlier this year, she became the first Indian woman to win the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament, earning the right to challenge China’s Ju Wenjun for the Women’s World Championship.Former world rapid champion Humpy brings immense experience to the team after missing out on India’s triumphant 2024 Olympics campaign, while Women’s World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh and Vantika Agrawal add further depth.
Indian teams for Chess Olympiad 2026
- Opening: D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa, Nihal Sarin, Vidit Gujrathi
- Captain: Srinath Narayanan
- Women: Koneru Humpy, R Vaishali, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agrawal, Savitha Shri B
- Captain: Swayams Mishra
Viswanathan Anand assumes the position of interim president of FIDE
In another significant development for Indian chess, fifth world champion Viswanathan Anand has assumed the role of interim FIDE president after incumbent Arkady Dvorkovich stepped down temporarily.Dvorkovich, who was recently included in the list of European Union sanctions related to the Russia-Ukraine war, announced that he will suspend the exercise of his powers while he contests the decision.According to the FIDE Charter, Anand, who has served as Vice President of the government since 2022, will automatically assume the role of interim president until Dvorkovich’s status changes.The appointment marks another landmark moment for Indian chess, with one of the country’s greatest players now leading the sport’s global body even as India prepares to defend its two Olympic team titles next month.