PM Modi Praises Arjun Erigaisi for World Blitz Chess Championship Bronze

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated Indian chess grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi for winning a bronze medal at the FIDE World Blitz Championships in Doha. This achievement follows Erigaisi's earlier bronze at the FIDE Rapid Chess Championship. Despite a semifinal loss, his performance has been commendable, securing a place among the top players. Modi praised Erigaisi's skills and dedication, highlighting the inspiration he provides to the youth of India. The article also covers other notable performances, including Magnus Carlsen's victory and Koneru Humpy's bronze in the women's section.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 31, 2025, 11:52 IST

PM Modi Congratulates Arjun Erigaisi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his congratulations to Indian chess grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi for winning a bronze medal at the International Chess Federation (FIDE) World Blitz Championships held in Doha. The Prime Minister commended the 22-year-old for his remarkable achievement, which follows his recent bronze at the FIDE Rapid Chess Championship, emphasizing that Erigaisi's accomplishments will motivate the youth of India.

"India's progress in chess is commendable! Congratulations to Arjun Erigaisi for securing the Bronze at the FIDE World Blitz Chess Championship in Doha, after his recent bronze in the FIDE Rapid Chess Championship. His dedication, skill, and passion are truly inspiring. I wish him all the best for his future endeavors," PM Modi stated in a post on X.

Erigaisi's Stellar Performance

Despite impressive performances during the league stage, Erigaisi faced a setback in the semifinal against Nodirbek Abdusattorov, resulting in a loss. Nevertheless, he secured a bronze medal for India, as reported by ESPN.

Erigaisi advanced to the knockout stage, finishing among the top four players. He accumulated 14.5 points over the first 18 rounds, achieving 12 victories, five draws, and one loss.

The earlier FIDE World Rapid Championship in Doha utilized a 13-round Swiss format with a time control of 15 minutes plus a 10-second increment. Arjun earned his first bronze medal at this event with a score of 9.5 just a few days prior.

He became the second Indian male player, following the legendary Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand, to achieve a podium finish at this championship.

Other Podium Finishers

Magnus Carlsen secured his sixth World Rapid title in the men's category, finishing with an unbeaten score of 10.5 out of 13.

In the women's section of the World Rapid Championship, Koneru Humpy claimed the bronze medal after tying on 8.5 points with Zhu Jiner and Aleksandra Goryachkina. Due to tiebreak rules, Zhu and Goryachkina moved on to the playoff, where Goryachkina triumphed over Zhu to take the gold. Humpy's draw in the final round, caused by a time management error, resulted in her finishing third.