World Rapid Chess: Arjun Erigaisi Bags Bronze, Humpy Also Secures Podium Finish
Erigaisi becomes first Indian male medalist since Viswanathan Anand; Humpy adds another podium finish for India
Doha, Dec 29: India’s Arjun Erigaisi and Koneru Humpy secured bronze medals in the men’s and women’s sections, respectively, at the 2025 FIDE World Rapid and Women’s World Rapid Chess Championships in Doha, Qatar, on Sunday. With this achievement, Erigaisi became the only Indian male player since Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand to win a medal at the World Rapid Championship.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated both players on X (formerly Twitter), praising their grit and dedication. “Proud of Arjun Erigaisi for winning the Bronze medal in the open section… Wishing him the very best for his future endeavours,” the Prime Minister wrote. He also lauded Humpy’s performance, noting her consistent excellence at the global stage.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu also hailed the players. “Arjun has added another chapter of pride to India’s illustrious chess legacy,” he wrote, while describing Humpy’s bronze as a testament to her courage and consistency in competing at the highest level.
In the men’s event, World No.1 Magnus Carlsen claimed his sixth World Rapid title with 10.5 points from 13 rounds. Erigaisi finished tied on 9.5 points with Vladislav Artemiev, Hans Moke Niemann, and Leinier Dominguez Perez, with tie-breaks placing Erigaisi third to secure the bronze. A key win over Aleksandr Shimanov proved decisive for Erigaisi’s podium finish. Other Indian participants included Aravindh Chithambaram (16th), Nihal Sarin (19th), Dommaraju Gukesh (20th), and Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa (28th).
In the Women’s World Rapid Championship, Koneru Humpy finished tied at 8.5 points with eventual champion Alexandra Goryachkina and China’s Zhu Jiner. The title was decided in a blitz playoff, with Goryachkina defeating Zhu to claim gold, while Humpy settled for bronze on tie-breaks. Humpy, 38, had previously won gold in the World Rapid Championship in 2019 and 2024.
The medal wins by Erigaisi and Humpy mark a historic moment for India at the FIDE World Rapid Championships, continuing the country’s proud legacy in international chess.
