The Indian men's and women's chess teams etched their names in the game's history by winning gold medals at the 2024 FIDE Chess Olympiad in Budapest on Sunday, September 22, 2024.
Inspired by the iconic trophy lift of cricket captain Rohit Sharma during the 2024 T20I World Cup in June, the chess players replicated the gesture.
Rohit's celebration had itself been a homage to Argentine football legend Lionel Messi's post-match trophy lift after winning the FIFA World Cup in 2022.
On Sunday, September 22, the Indian chess contingent followed suit, with Gukesh D and Tania Sachdev bringing their respective trophies to the podium in a near identical pose.
Grandmaster and former World women's chess champion Susan Polgár shared a video of the celebration on X, capturing the team's infectious enthusiasm with a caption, 'India team spirit! Celebration time! Olympiad Champions!'
