Indian Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi Embraces Chess as a Fortuitous Journey: 'It Was a Happy Accident'

As both the men's and women's teams won gold medals at the FIDE Chess Olympiad in Budapest, India created history. Part of the five-member Indian men's team that made history with a gold in the open category, Vidit Gujrathi was instrumental in confirming India's extraordinary performance in the elite event.

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Vidit Gujrathi claims he wanted to be a cricketer but became a grandmaster by accident

Before an accidental initiation to chess, Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi was just another Indian child dreaming of becoming a cricket player in his childhood; he feels this to be a "very happy accident".

Gujrathi belonged to the five-member Indian men's team that took home a historic gold in the open division of the most recent Olympiad in Budapest. The Indian women's team also bagged the gold, so doubling the celebration for the nation and adding more memories to mark the success.

"It was accidental. I was six-years-old and I was very mischievous as a child. My parents wanted to engage me in some activity. I used to play cricket like every Indian kid," Gujrathi told PTI in an interview.

"He took me to a club and there cricket was played with season ball, so my Dad said to me wait for a year and then play cricket, till then pick another sport. So I started chess.

"My father taught me and I wanted to win against him, so that was the motivation. It was an accident but a very happy accident," he added The 29-year-old from Nashik became a Grandmaster in 2013 and was also a part of India's silver medal-winning side at the Hangzhou Asian Games.

"It has not sunk in yet but I do know this achievement is going to stay with us for a long time. Score of 21 out of 22, highest-ever and it would be hard to break this record. With women's team also winning gold, it was double the joy. You cannot write such a perfect script," Gujrathi said.

"This was the same team that played in the Asian Games. That was the first time we all were together. We won silver there and there were lessons that we learnt from the Asian Games. This time we came with a new vibe, we are rooting for each other, celebrating each others' success." 

Gujrathi said it was not easy to script such a dominating performance as they felt the pressure of being rated as one of the favourites in the Olympiad.

"When the team was drafted we knew that we are one of the favourites. Everybody around us kept telling us the same but I never thought of it. As we got closer to the event we started to realise there is that pressure which has started to build.

"But what took the pressure is when we started to play we won first game 4-0, second game 4-0," he said.

"This was my fourth Olympiad in person and I played two online. Winning gold in Chess Olympiad is a dream-com-true moment for any chess player."

 Gujrathi missed playing at the Summer Olympics and hoped chess is included in the quadrennial sporting extravaganza someday. "I was watching the Paris Olympics two months ago and was rooting for our players. When we were winning medals, I thought I want to do this as well.

"That (chess not in Summer Games) breaks heart to see because everytime I saw the Games I used to feel we would have returned with a gold," he said. He now just wants to meet his family and celebrate the success with them.

"I want to celebrate and meet my family, without them I would have not been here. I want to celebrate with them," said the player, whose parents as well as sister are doctors. 

(With PTI inputs)