Indian chess star R Praggnanandhaa revealed that he battled a cold and fever during the latter stages of the 2026 Chess Olympiad, yet still produced a strong individual performance as India returned home with medals in both sections.
The 21-year-old Chennai grandmaster scored 6.5 points from 10 games and won an individual bronze medal on Board 1. India finished with silver in the Open section and bronze in the women’s event, while also retaining the Nona Gaprindashvili Trophy as the best overall federation.
Fighting Through Fatigue
Praggnanandhaa said he was not at full energy toward the end of the tournament because of fever and fatigue. He believed a viral illness was spreading among players during the second half of the competition.
Despite that, his quality of play remained high. India’s captain Srinath Narayanan noted that Praggnanandhaa was frequently the player creating pressure and chances, even when his final score did not completely reflect his performance.
Silver Instead of Gold
India entered the Olympiad as defending champions after winning gold in the previous edition. Praggnanandhaa admitted that the team wanted to repeat that success but said the silver medal remained a strong result given the level of competition.
The crucial setback came against Uzbekistan. A costly blunder on one of India’s boards decided the closely fought match and ultimately hurt India’s chances of retaining the title.
A Strong Run Continues
The Olympiad was another notable chapter in Praggnanandhaa’s rapid rise. Earlier in 2026, he became the first Indian to win Norway Chess and later claimed the Grand Chess Tour.
With his confidence growing and major international events ahead, the young grandmaster’s latest performance suggests that he remains one of the key figures in India’s next generation of chess stars.