Fri Dec 13 07:12:36 UTC 2024: ## Indian Chess Prodigy Gukesh Wins World Championship
**Singapore** – Eighteen-year-old Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa, known as Gukesh, has created history by winning the World Chess Championship in Singapore. He defeated the reigning champion, Ding Liren of China, in a thrilling 14-round match.
The final match was a nail-biter, with both players demonstrating exceptional skill and strategic prowess. While Gukesh held a slight advantage in the early rounds, Liren, 32, mounted a strong comeback. The match remained incredibly close, with both players tied going into the final rounds. Gukesh ultimately secured victory in the 14th and final round.
Gukesh attributed his win to two years of intensive physical and mental training, culminating in a decade of dedicated practice. He expressed his gratitude for the opportunity and his sorrow for Liren’s defeat, stating his win fulfilled a childhood dream to bring the championship back to India after an 11-year absence. He is only the second Indian to achieve this feat after Viswanathan Anand.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin were among the many who offered their congratulations to the young champion. Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand also extended his best wishes. The win marks a significant moment for Indian chess and solidifies Gukesh’s place as a rising star in the world of chess.
First Piper 