Thu Sep 26 12:16:59 UTC 2024: ## India’s Chess Triumph Sparks Hope and Caution: Anand Urges Continued Growth
**New Delhi, India:** Following India’s unprecedented double victory at the Chess Olympiad, five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand expressed pride and optimism while emphasizing the need for continued development, particularly in women’s chess.
Both the men’s and women’s Indian teams secured gold medals, a historic achievement that has placed the country on the global chess map. However, Anand acknowledged the disparity in progress between the men’s and women’s game, urging greater participation among female players.
“This is a very good beginning,” Anand said. “But we must continuously keep progressing, and importantly, get more and more girls to play. This result will inspire more girls, and that is the hope.”
While celebrating the success of young Indian talents like R Praggnanandhaa and D Gukesh, Anand stressed the need to build a strong foundation for the future. He believes that nurturing talent at the grassroots level and providing opportunities for players at all levels is crucial to sustaining India’s recent success.
Despite the historic win, Anand remains cautious, acknowledging the challenges ahead. “Every country goes back and learns lessons,” he said, “so the other teams will take their disappointment, they’ll go back and they’ll come back stronger.” He emphasized that while India currently ranks high, maintaining that position will require continued effort and development.
Anand will participate in the upcoming Tech Mahindra Global Chess League, which he believes plays a significant role in promoting the game and providing exposure for players. He remains optimistic about the future of Indian chess, hoping for a continuation of the recent momentum.
“We want many more things like that to happen,” Anand said. “I hope that we will first qualify for the final and then win it.”
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