The article highlights India's rising prominence in chess, showcased during the Chennai Grand Masters where homegrown champion Aravindh Chithambaram triumphed. The game has gained immense traction post-pandemic, partly influenced by Netflix's "The Queen's Gambit" and a surge in online play. Notably, India, home to 85 grandmasters, has recently enjoyed significant success in international competitions, including a sweep of both men's and women's teams at the Chess Olympiad. This resurgence marks a shift in chess's historical dominance, transitioning from its European and Russian strongholds back to its ancient roots in India.
"This level of attention is wild... But for that to happen in India, I think that speaks to the popularity of the game."
"Chess has seen a worldwide resurgence since the pandemic-induced lockdown... with more leisure time, people began playing on streaming platforms like chess.com and on YouTube."
"Last year, both of its men's and women's teams swept the Chess Olympiad... At the World Chess Championship... Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest-ever world champion at age 18."
"This is a remarkable shift. After decades of Russian and European chess dominance, the spotlight is on India, the likely birthplace of the ancient game."
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