Indian Chess Grandmaster (GM) Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, who won a silver medal in FIDE World Cup 2023 in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Wednesday received a rousing welcome on his arrival at the Chennai Airport. Outside the Airport, students were ween waiving the tricolour and some of them were holding banners of ‘World Cup Runner Up’ to welcome the Indian prodigy. India’s Chess prodigy, R Praggnanandhaa, who made the entire nation proud with his exploits, mentioned that he ‘felt really great.’ “It feels really great. I think it is good for Chess,” the Indian chess grandmaster told the reporters.
After returning to Chennai, Praggnanandhaa said, “I am very happy to see so many people coming here and it is good for Chess.” All India Chess Federation representatives and State Government representatives were at the airport to welcome India’s rising star return to the country. Praggnanandhaa’s sister Vaishali was elated to see the kind of welcome her brother had recieved at the airport. “I had witnessed something like this 10 years back when Viswanathan (Anand) sir had won a World Championship match. He had a fantastic welcome. We went to the airport actually to welcome him. It’s amazing to see that Pragg is getting the same love from all the people” she said. In the FIDE World Cup final match, Praggnanandhaa put up a stellar performance against World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen. However, Carlsen defeated Praggnanandhaa to clinch the title of the International Chess Federation World Cup and the Indian chess grandmaster had to settle for the position of runner-up of the 2023 FIDE World Cup. The 18-year-old Indian will draw hope from the fact that he has qualified for the FIDE Candidates tournament.
After returning to Chennai, Praggnanandhaa said, “I am very happy to see so many people coming here and it is good for Chess.” All India Chess Federation representatives and State Government representatives were at the airport to welcome India’s rising star return to the country. Praggnanandhaa’s sister Vaishali was elated to see the kind of welcome her brother had recieved at the airport. “I had witnessed something like this 10 years back when Viswanathan (Anand) sir had won a World Championship match. He had a fantastic welcome. We went to the airport actually to welcome him. It’s amazing to see that Pragg is getting the same love from all the people” she said. In the FIDE World Cup final match, Praggnanandhaa put up a stellar performance against World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen. However, Carlsen defeated Praggnanandhaa to clinch the title of the International Chess Federation World Cup and the Indian chess grandmaster had to settle for the position of runner-up of the 2023 FIDE World Cup. The 18-year-old Indian will draw hope from the fact that he has qualified for the FIDE Candidates tournament.