India's kings and queens of chess

India is quickly becoming a legitimate global chess superpower, leading the United States and China on key metrics, and running neck and neck with Russia, the historically dominant chess power

Over the last decade, India’s political and economic progress has faltered. Its once-plausible aspirations of becoming a global power on par with China now seem fanciful. The Covid-19 pandemic has taken a devastating human and economic toll. In such circumstances, sports can be a national balm.
 
This year’s Tokyo Olympic Games brought a slight reprieve. India took home its first gold medal in track and field, achieved a partial return to past glory in men’s field hockey, and saw its women’s field hockey team display heart-wrenching grit and determination, even as it fell short of winning a medal. Ultimately,