Indian Chess Sensation Wants Chess in Olympics, Eyes 2036 Games
New Delhi, [Date] -- Indian chess prodigy and youngest world champion D.Gokesh has expressed his desire to see chess included in the Olympics, which he believes would significantly elevate the sport's global profile. Gokesh also spoke about his first tournament of 2025, where he will face off against Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri.
Gokesh, who turned 18 last month and won the World Chess Championship in Singapore, has been a vocal advocate for chess's inclusion in the Olympics. "I would love to see chess being part of the Olympics, especially if it's in India," he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. He believes that with the Olympics, chess will reach new heights and gain even more popularity.
Gokesh's wish will be realized if India wins the hosting rights for the 2036 Summer Olympics, which is what he is hoping for. "We were all celebrating and then it majorly settled down, and I am on to the next tournament," Gokesh said, adding that the attention for chess has been good.
Gokesh's rise to fame was a result of his impressive performance in the ongoing Chess Olympiad, where India recently won both men's and women's gold medals. However, he noted that while the sport is already gaining popularity through its own Olympiad format, more needs to be done to make it reach more people.
"We were all celebrating and then it majorly settled down," Gokesh said of his victory in Singapore. "I am on to the next tournament." The young sensation will start his 2025 campaign by playing against Anish Giri at the Tata Steel Masters 2025 in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands.
In other news, Gokesh has been awarded the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna by President Droupadi Murmu for his outstanding achievements. He is only the second chess player after Viswanathan Anand to receive this prestigious award.
Gokesh's comments on chess and Olympics come at a time when India is making its official bid for the 2036 Summer Olympics, which will provide a platform for him to compete in the global stage.