India #1 and #2 in Chess receive Luxury Cars

Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi was bestowed a brand new BMW 5 Series car by his sponsor, Quantbox Research. The India #2 signed a five-year deal with Quantbox back in December 2022. Arjun attended an offsite felicitation organised by his sponsor in Bali after the conclusion of his last over-the-board tournament in Wijk aan Zee, where he was offered this gesture.

At the time of signing, Erigaisi was rated around 2722 in classical chess. With his talent, hard work and constant support from his long-term sponsor, he has been able to rise as high as World #3 with a rating of 2801 (currently #5). Such a generous offering from Arjun’s sponsor can be related to the time when the current World Champion was felicitated by his school, Velammal Nexus Group, last year, after the youngster won the 2024 FIDE Candidates tournament. Following the immense support from sponsors, government, and organisations around the country, Gukesh managed to clinch the ultimate World Championship title.

Just like Gukesh and Arjun, many players in India are backed by prominent sponsors, including Vidit Gujrathi (Ambit) and Nihal Sarin (Akshyakalpa). This stands behind the fact that India is a powerhouse of chess at the moment. This status can be attributed to the interest of the state and corporate in budding Indian chess players. India, at the moment, has 5 players in the top 15 of the world, which is the most by any country. It is likely that more prominent support from sponsors towards top rising chess players will be seen following this event.