R Praggnanandhaa becomes India's No. 1 chess player, defeats World Champion

Digital Desk: Chess prodigy Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa has made headlines by securing the top position among Indian chess players after defeating World Champion Ding Liren at the 2024 Tata Steel Chess tournament. 

The 18-year-old's victory, achieved with black pieces, has propelled him above the legendary Viswanathan Anand in the national rankings.

Expressing surprise at his success, Praggnanandhaa attributed his win to feeling that he equalized effortlessly, causing things to go awry for his esteemed opponent. Reflecting on the significance of defeating a world champion in classical chess, he remarked that it felt gratifying. 

Praggnanandhaa's journey in chess began at the age of 5, and by the age of twelve, he became the second-youngest Grandmaster globally and the youngest in India in 2018, marking him as the fifth-youngest Grandmaster to date.

Adding to his family's chess legacy, Praggnanandhaa's older sister, R Vaishali, unexpectedly became a Grandmaster, forming the world's first brother-sister GM team.

Meanwhile, in the Tata Steel Chess tournament, Grandmaster Anish Giri claimed the lead in the Masters division, showcasing his strategic prowess and securing victories, including one against D Gukesh. As Praggnanandhaa continues to make waves in the chess world, his recent triumph over Ding Liren solidifies his status as a rising star in the realm of international chess.