PM Modi, Sachin Tendulkar lead praise for Gukesh D as he becomes second Indian to win candidates tournament
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chess World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen have also reacted to Gukesh’s performance
Indian chess grandmaster Gukesh D made history by winning the 2024 FIDE Candidates in Toronto, Canada, on Monday. The 17-year-old outplayed the likes of Hikaru Nakamura, Ian Nepomniachtchi, and Fabiano Caruana to clinch the prestigious title.
After Indian legend Viswanathan Anand, who won the tournament in 1994/95 at the age of 25, Gukesh D has become only the second Indian to triumph at Candidates, one of the most distinguished events in the chess world.
The 17-year-old is also the youngest player in the competition’s history to win the tournament. Before Gukesh, chess great Garry Kasparov was the youngest to reach the milestone, he did that at the age of 20, while Magnus Carlsen won the FIDE Candidates when he was 22 years old.
Vidit Gujrathi and Praggnanandhaa also participated in the tournament from the Indian side. In the last match, the 17-year-old held Japanese Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura for a draw. On the other board, the likes of Ian Nepomniachtchi and Fabiano Caruana agreed to a draw after a gruelling battle of 109 moves.
Consequently, the Indian chess star has also become the youngest player to compete at the World Chess Championship. Following the series of triumphs, the young Indian chess grandmaster attracted praise from famous personalities globally. World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, who initially claimed that the 17-year-old was expected to have a forgettable campaign in Canada, came forward to praise Gukesh D for his win.
Apart from Magnus Carlsen, several other top personalities heaped praise on Gukesh D, including India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sachin Tendulkar. Let’s look at the reactions as the Indian Chess Grandmaster bagged the prestigious Candidates title on Monday, becoming only the second Indian to do so:
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After winning the 2024 FIDE Candidates, the Indian chess grandmaster has revealed that he’s currently looking forward to performing well at the upcoming World Championships. He said:
“My next goal is to make it big at the World Championship. I am just planning to do my absolute best and try to do the right things.”
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Shashank is a journalist at Khel Now covering Olympic sports. A Journalism and Mass Communication graduate, he’s a former national-level footballer and multi-sport athlete. A Liverpool fan since 2014, he idolizes Steven Gerrard and admires Rafael Nadal’s grit. Known for his accurate, well-researched reporting, Shashank also follows tennis, WWE, and taekwondo.
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