It is said that the game of chess originated in India in ancient times and then spread to Persia and from there to the rest of the world.
Therefore it is fitting that India’s young Grandmasters have now taken our country to the topmost rank in this fascinating game of warfare between Kings and Queens, elephants and horses on a battlefield made up of 64 black and white squares.
India’s 18-year-old Dommaraju Gukesh is like a young Alexander of ancient Greece. This modern day youth has conquered the rest of the world and is now standing at the gates of China. His final conquest can happen if he overcomes the Chinese world champion Ding Liren. Their do or die battle is scheduled to take place later this year.
But Gukesh is not the only one who has overcome the world’s most formidable rivals. Earlier it was Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa (Praggs for short) who stunned the experts with his brilliant performance. Praggs and Gukesh have taken the world by storm. In the women’s category Praggs’ elder sister Vaishali has established her own kingdom.
There is also Arjun Erigaisi who, like Gukesh, hails from a Telugu speaking family. Born on September 3, 2003 Arjun has a commendable ELO rating of 2778 points and holds the coveted Grandmaster title. He was born in Warangal and learned the rudiments of the game at a chess academy in Hanamkonda. His rapid rise saw him win the Grandmaster title in 2018.
Talented young brigade
Apart from Praggs, Arjun, Gukesh, and Viswanathan Anand two others, namely Vidith Gujarathi and Aravindh Chithambaram have a very high ELO rating of above 2700.
As of December 2023, the top ten chess players of India had an average ELO rating of above 2700. This shows the dominance of India in world chess. The game’s players have been given great recognition in India. A total of 24 chess players have been conferred national awards such as Arjuna and Padma.
As per FIDE records of 2023, India had produced no less than 85 Grandmasters and 23 women’s Grandmasters. It is an amazing feat for one single country.
The title of Grandmaster itself is impressive. It conjures up a vision of a white-haired old expert who has mastered the arts and science of his profession after decades of study and practice. So it comes as a surprise to see our youth, many of them lively teenagers who seem to be like college students, win that coveted title in world chess.
High praise for players
India’s performance has drawn praise from some of the legends of chess like Susan Polgar, Garry Kasparov and Magnus Carlssen. Former world champion Kasparov who is one of the greatest champions in chess was initially reluctant to praise any Indian player. But after watching Praggs in action, the Russian was forced to change his views. He took to Twitter (X) to lavish praise on the Indian youth.
Anand is a trendsetter,
In India, the player who set the trend was Viswanathan Anand. Later others like Hariskrishna and Humpy and many others followed in his footsteps.
He posted a message on social media for the youngsters following him. “As you navigate your journey, remember that it is not about the amount of time that you dedicate but the quality of that time. Whether it is chess, art, music, or any other pursuit, allow yourself the freedom to grow naturally. You may find your passion leading you to greater heights.”
Those are golden words from the man who is perhaps India’s best chess champion. Exactly 30 years ago, in July 1994, he had taken part in the quarter-final round of the World Chess Championship in Hyderabad. The event was held in a specially constructed arena in Sanghinagar on the outskirts of the city.
At the time he was the only Indian player who could match wits with the Russians, Europeans and Americans. But now India is producing one champion after another. Almost every year a new flower blossoms from the fertile soil of this land. As the saying goes, success breeds success. So there is the likelihood that India will continue to expand its empire. New conquests await our young warriors in the battle of brains.
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