After the great player Viswanadhan Anand, who won the World Championship in Chess, our country got another hero in the form of Dommaraju Gukesh. This 18 years old teenage sensation Gukesh became the youngest-ever undisputed classical chess world champion after beating Chinese defending champion Ding Lire 7.5-6.5 in their best of 14 final in Singapore on December 12.
Born in 2006, Gukesh is the youngest world champion of all time, a record previously held by Gary Kasparov, who became world champion in 1985 at age 22. This newest world champion Gukesh is proud to have Telugu and Tamil roots.
Vishwanathan Anand to Gukesh Dommaraju
Chess, which started in India and is now a worldwide sport, has a massive global following. This is the reason foreign players have largely controlled this sport. Great Players from nations such as the United States, Russia, and Norway have secured world championships.
Chess began in India in the 6th century, known as 'Chaturanga'. By the 10th Century, the Indian game Chaturanga had disseminated to Persia, the Arab regions, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. Currently, contemporary chess is practiced in over 170 nations and is considered a professional sport. The UN estimates that approximately 8% of the global population engages in chess on a regular basis.
However, Indian grand master Viswanathan Anand is the sole individual in our nation who has achieved the status of a world champion. He has climbed the world chess podium not just once, but five times. Viswanathan Anand, who first won the world championship in 2000, last held that title in 2012. Nevertheless, he faced a loss against Carlsen in 2013. Since that time, the nation has been eagerly anticipating another world champion from India. Nevertheless, concluding the wait, the successor to Anand's legacy, Gukesh, is once again demonstrating India’s supremacy in global chess and gaining admiration.
Gukesh family has a Telugu descent
Gukesh, who achieved the status of world champion, has origins in Telugu. Gukesh's great-grandparents resided in Chenchuraju Kandriga village, located in Pichattur mandal close to Puttur in Andhra Pradesh, where their ancestors came from. Gukesh was born in 2006 to Rajinikanth and Padma, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Rajinikanth couple made their residence in Chennai; even they continue to have family in AP.
Gukesh's achievement is heavily supported by the dedication of his parents. Particularly his father, who set aside his professional life. He would accompany his son on trips abroad for tournaments to support his career. He, being an ENT specialist, paused his practice in 2017-18 for his son. As a result, the household was sustained by the earnings of his mother, a microbiologist.
Passion for chess begins at early age
Gukesh has been smart since his early years. He was extremely smart. He cultivated a passion for chess at the age of seven. Slowly, he made it his profession. Gukesh swiftly excelled in the game and clinched the Under-12 World Chess Youth Championship. Following the fourth grade, he dedicated himself completely to the game and achieved grandmaster status at a young age (12 years, 7 months, and 17 days). Nevertheless, he missed the world record by only 17 days. Anyhow, he was recorded in history as the third youngest grandmaster globally.
Nonetheless, at times his parents also collected money to allow Gukesh to participate in tournaments. Viswanathan Anand's remarks at the Westbridge Anand Chess Academy (WACA) in 2020 were pivotal in Gukesh's career. Slowly honing his skills in the game, Gukesh reached another milestone in his career by triumphing over the iconic Carlsen in 2022. He secured a silver medal with the men's team at the Asian Games last year. This year, he outperformed the top competitors in the Candidates Masters Tournament to claim the title. As a result, he became the youngest (17 years old) to earn a spot in the World Championships. He was instrumental in the Indian men's team achieving a remarkable gold medal at the Chess Olympiad.
Andhra Vs Tamil Nadu!
Sports and political personalities are wishing new world chess champion. At the same time, debate is going on whether he is a Telugu or a Tamilian? The reason for this is that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin each claim that Gukesh belong to their state.
When Gukesh won the title, Stalin responded on the X platform and praised Gukesh's amazing victory. He said that Chennai has maintained its position as the world chess capital by producing another champion after Vishwanathan Anand. He shared an old photo of Gukesh wearing a gold medal, saying that Tamil Nadu is proud of him.
Chandrababu also responded shortly after Stalin. He wrote, "Heartfelt congratulations to our own Telugu child." He said in the X that he congratulates Gukesh for becoming an Indian Grandmaster at the age of 18. He said that the entire country is celebrating this unique victory.
Although Gukesh has Telugu roots, he was born and raised in Chennai. After Chandrababu and Stalin's posts, the debate is going on in full swing on social media about the new world champion Dommaraju Gukesh.
