India’s chess prodigy Praggnanandhaa has made the most remarkable impact

Although Indian chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa’s World Cup campaign came to an end lacking a title, analysts believe that his outstanding performances would have had an important effect on the game in his country. praggnana

The top-ranked player in the world, Carlsen, Magnus, beat the Indian mastermind in a series of tiebreakers on Thursday after both of their opening matches finished in draws, so the Indian maestro was forced to accept his runners-up position. But during the Baku championship, analysts have emphasised the young man’s tenacity and outstanding talent.

Narendra Modi, the prime minister of the Indian subcontinent, praised the child on X for his “remarkable” performance and for putting up a “tough fight. His accomplishment has been acknowledged as “tectonic and seminal” by experts.

The young Indian who defeated a world champion The 18-year-old’s participation in sports tournaments has been nothing short of extraordinary. A remarkable accomplishment in and of itself, Praggnanandhaa, or Pragg as he is more commonly known, overcame the world’s second- and third-highest-ranked professionals to get to the World Cup final.

No other Indian has been in the finals since games legend Vishwanathan Anand won the title back in 2002.

In addition, he garnered news for being the third-youngest contestant to enter the Candidates Championship and one of the youngest players in history to play in the finals, placing him in the same category as young prodigies the likes of Bobby Fischer and Erik Carlsen.

The young man has improved his track record in the industry thanks to his accomplishments. A commentator and Fide-rated chess player named Devangshu Datta said in The Times of India that younger players gaining a name for themselves also suggests a “generational shift” in the game itself, which “is likely to overwhelmingly favour India.”

Four Indian players made it all the way to the World Cup’s quarterfinals, claiming an amazing 50% of the available spots.

The top 100 junior players in the world currently include 21 Indian athletes, all under the age of 20. Of these athletes, four are ranked in the top 10, and seven are ranked in the top 20. The Indian chess prodigy challenges Kasparov in the World Cup championship game. For a decade or more, these novices “will almost certainly dominate chess,” predicts Datta.

The hypothesis also has credibility because thousands of young Indians are now playing chess, continuing a trend that started in the 2000s after Anand’s victories garnered media attention and has since steadily gained strength. Children may improve their chessboard capabilities using applications and online competitions thanks to smartphones and inexpensive internet access, and basic chess coaching is also easily available.

\Even a few decades ago, this was a substantial change from the current situation.  According to sports writer Susan Ninan in The Indian Express, “access to regular training under a GM (grandmaster) was almost inconceivable for Indian players who arrived on the scene even two decades after Anand.”

Though the chess scene in the nation has significantly evolved since then, experts say more needs to be done if India truly wants its players to make a name for themselves on the international stage.

Parents still have to provide money for their children’s dreams because the game still lacks appropriate support systems. Praggnanandhaa also had a tale of nature. Until 2016, shortly after he turned 10 and became the youngest International Master in history, his parents, a bank manager father and a stay-at-home mother, reportedly had to borrow money to pay for his competition. After a short while, support in the form of a sponsor appeared.

His mother keeps on travelling with Praggnanandhaa across the world, cooking her son’s favourite Tamil delicacies as he competes. He and his sister, who really served as the inspiration for him to start playing the game, are first-generation chess players in their family. Praggnanandhaa’s quick ascent to the top is an example to many others and a testament to his talent, hard work, and possibly a little bit of luck.