In brief
The Chennai-born prodigy clinched the title in a thrilling match, establishing himself as a remarkable talent in the game’s history.
Indian chess prodigy Gukesh Dommaraju has made history by becoming the youngest world chess champion at just 18 years old. His remarkable achievement was highlighted during a thrilling match against reigning champion Ding Liren of China, held in Singapore. With a prize fund of $2.5 million (£1.96 million), the stakes were high, but Gukesh's talent shone through as he defeated Ding, marking a significant career milestone.From a young age, Gukesh was determined to become the world champion, having dreamed of this moment since he was seven. This ambition further solidified when he became a grandmaster at the age of 12 years and seven months. Yet, upon winning the championship, he expressed surprise at its swift arrival, confessing to feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension during the match.The title match was tightly contested, culminating in Gukesh clinching victory in a dramatic 14th game after a blunder from Ding. This win not only made Gukesh the 18th world champion since the inception of the title in 1886 but also placed him ahead of previous record-holder Garry Kasparov, who was 22 when he won.Over the past three years, Gukesh has consistently demonstrated his prowess, earning individual gold medals at the last two Olympiads, and helping India secure significant team victories. Despite once being deemed inexperienced by former world champion Viswanathan Anand, Gukesh displayed tremendous resilience and grit to overcome earlier setbacks in his career.Now, as he steps into the spotlight, Gukesh enjoys strong familial and institutional support. Sponsored by Westbridge Capital and nurtured at the Westbridge Anand Chess Academy, his chess journey has benefited from financial backing and focused training. The young champion is also committed to balancing his intense chess career with personal interests like meditation and sports, as he aims for a long and successful tenure at the top of the chess world—aspiring to eventually surpass Magnus Carlsen.
