12-Year-Old Chennai Boy Becomes India’s Youngest Ever Grandmaster

12-year-old Chennai boy creates history, becomes world’s second-youngest and India’s youngest ever Grandmaster.

(Photo: ANI Screengrab)

Video Editor: Vishal Kumar

R Praggnanandhaa from Chennai has created history by becoming India’s youngest and the world’s second youngest Grandmaster ever at the age of 12 years, 10 months and 13 days.

He achieved this feat on reaching the final round of the Grenadine Open in Italy.

He missed out on the world top spot by just three months. It is currently occupied by Sergey Karjakin, who became a GM at the age of 12 years and 7 months back in 2002.

Indian Chess legend Viswanathan Anand congratulated Praggnanandhaa on Twitter.

Praggnanandhaa, who started playing chess when he was just three, had also become the youngest International Master at the age of 10 years, 10 months and 19 days in 2016.

His sister is now an International Women’s Master and it was watching her play that inspired him to take up chess.

I started playing chess when I was three after seeing my sister. She is now a Women’s International Master. In the last tournament, I became a GM and I’m very happy now.  

R Praggnanandhaa, Chess Player

Coach RB Ramesh also sung his praises Twitter.

In order to pursue chess, Praggnanandhaa has required a lot of support from his family. But it has not always been easy for them.

As parents, it is tough. Leaving his father, his grandmother and going there was tough, but we did it. We would tell him that he has the ability to do it. We told him to think of today as your first round, forget whatever happened yesterday. We were the ones who would feel sad, not him.  

Nagalakshmi, Mother of Praggnanandhaa

(With inputs from ANI and PTI)