Odisha WIM Saina Salonika, representing Delhi University, won the silver medal in the FISU World University Mind Sports Chess Championship, which was held in Entebbe, Uganda from 25 to 30 June 2024. India asserted supremacy in the nine-round championship as Akanksha Hagwane of Bharati Vidyapeeth Pune clinched the gold medal.

Both Saina and Akanksha scored 6.5 points each. But Akanksha bagged the gold medal due to better buchholoz points. Saina remained undefeated in the tournament, winning four games and drawing five. Starting the tournament as 8th seed and a rating of 2103, Bhubaneswar girl Saina gained 48.6 rating points in the process.This was the 22nd international medal for Saina.

Tribal girl Junu Birua was another Odisha player who participated in the World University Championship. Student of Bhubaneswar-based KISS University, Birua finished 18th with 4.5 points.

Odisha IM and Senior FIDE Trainer Sekhar Chandra Sahu and Lucky Rani Patra accompanied Indian University Women Chess Team as coach and official respectively.
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PHOTO: Odisha WIM Saina Salonika poses with her silver medal at the FISU World University Mind Sports Chess Championship in Entebbe, Uganda on 30 June 2024.