5 Key Facts About India’s Chess Champion, Gukesh Dommaraju

Indian athletes continue to excel in various sports, and chess is no exception. Following the legacy of Viswanathan Anand, the first Indian to win the World Chess Championship in 2000, 18-year-old Gukesh Dommaraju has become a rising star in the chess world.

On Thursday, he made history by becoming the youngest-ever World Chess Champion, defeating reigning champion Ding Liren of China in a dramatic final at the 2024 World Chess Championship in Singapore.

In the 2023 Chess World Cup, Gukesh reached the quarterfinals, defeating several top players but losing to Magnus Carlsen. However, in 2024, he not only won the championship but also broke multiple records. With a 7.5-6.5 victory, he surpassed Garry Kasparov’s record as the youngest chess champion at 22. Gukesh is now India’s top-ranked player, ending a 37-year streak in chess rankings.

Here are five key facts about the Indian chess grandmaster:

Born on May 29, 2006, in Chennai to an ENT surgeon father and a microbiologist mother, Gukesh began his chess journey at the age of seven. In 2013, he committed to the game with one-hour sessions three times a week, which quickly caught the attention of his teacher, leading him to participate in chess tournaments. He attended Velammal Vidyalaya in Chennai.

Rise to Chess Glory

Gukesh’s chess career took off when he won the Under-9 category at the 2015 Asian School Chess Championships. He won five gold medals in the Asian Youth Chess Championships in the quick, blitz, and classical forms in 2018 and secured the title at the World Youth Chess Championships (Under-12 category).  In 2017, he became an International Master. By January 2019, at the age of 12 years, seven months, and 17 days, Gukesh made history as the second-youngest Grandmaster ever.

His success continued as he broke more records. In September 2022, Gukesh surpassed a 2700 FIDE rating, becoming the third-youngest player to achieve this feat. The following month, he made headlines by becoming the youngest player to defeat Magnus Carlsen since Carlsen won the World Championship.

“After Magnus won, I was determined to bring the title back to India,” Gukesh shared following his historic win.

Parental support and sacrifice

It was a difficult journey for Gukesh and his parents. In order to go with Gukesh and help him realize his goal of reaching the ultimate GM norm, his father, Rajinikanth, left his lucrative profession in 2017–18. His mother, Padma Kumari, took over as the household’s main provider in the interim.

Gukesh was unaware of the family’s financial situation at the moment. Due to the family’s financial difficulties in 2017 and 2018, Gukesh was sponsored by his parents’ friends. “My parents had to drastically alter their way of living in order for me to compete in competitions. “They sacrificed the most,” he added.

Winning the world championship

Gukesh made an outstanding performance at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest in September 2024. He achieved the highest performance rating of the tournament, 3056, when playing on board one, scoring 9/10 with victories over renowned grandmasters. Through his efforts, he won an individual gold medal and India’s first-ever team gold medal. A new chapter in history has been written by Gukesh’s victory in the 2024 World Chess Championship.

“The most significant event in my life to date has been this dream I had over ten years ago. There is nothing better than doing this for my country, my loved ones, and myself,” he remarked.

Dhoni: A Childhood Idol for Gukesh

Gukesh has often spoken about how MS Dhoni, the former captain of the Indian cricket team, has been a childhood idol for him. Inspired by Dhoni’s leadership and resilience, Gukesh also works closely with coach Paddy Upton, who was a key figure in Dhoni’s cricketing era. Upton, known for his contributions to India’s 2011 Cricket World Cup victory and his role in guiding the Indian men’s hockey team to a bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympics, has been instrumental in Gukesh’s mental preparation.

Over the course of six months, Upton worked on strengthening Gukesh’s mental toughness, managing pressure, and improving recovery methods. “We have extensively discussed both aspects: the decisions Gukesh makes during the game and how he maintains his mental focus while his opponent is planning their next move,” Upton told the media.

Magnus Carlsen, the world-renowned Norwegian chess grandmaster, described Gukesh as “a wonderful guy, very quiet, humble, and deeply curious about all things related to chess.” He also praised Gukesh for taking full advantage of the opportunity to become the youngest world chess champion in history.

“It’s a great achievement for him, having held the title for two years now. Winning this championship is incredibly motivating, so there’s a strong possibility he’ll go on a remarkable streak of results, perhaps even becoming the number two player soon and potentially number one in the near future,” Carlsen remarked while analyzing the match.

Reflecting on the sacrifices made by his parents after achieving this milestone, Gukesh shared, “I’ve been dreaming about this moment since I started playing chess at the age of seven, but the dream was probably even bigger for them than it was for me.”