Chess Olympiad: Indian women lead as top seed, men ranked second
India enters the 46th Chess Olympiad as the top seed in the women's category and the second seed in the open category. The tournament, held in Samarkand, features a record 400 teams competing for the title.
Why it matters
The rise of Indian chess players on the global stage highlights the shifting power dynamics in international sports and the growth of the game in South Asia.
The Indian women are seeded first in the Chess Olympiad, which will be held in Samarkand from September 15 to 28. India’s men are seeded second, behind the top seed, the United States. India is the reigning champion in both sections.
Koneru Humpy, Divya Deshmukh, R. Vaishali, Vantika Agrawal and B. Savitha Shri make up the women’s team, while in the open section, women are free to compete with men in chess. D. Gukesh, R. Praggnananandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi and Nihal Sarin and Vidit Gujrathi will defend the crown.
The men’s team shows one change, with P. Harikrishna being replaced by Nihal. There are also two changes in the women’s team, with Humpy and Savitha coming in for D. Harika and Tania Sachdev.
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