In a historic moment for the world of chess and Indian sports, Gukesh Dommaraju has become the youngest-ever undisputed World Chess Champion. 18-year-old Gukesh achieved this remarkable feat by defeating reigning champion Ding Liren in an exciting 14-game classical chess match held in Singapore on December 12, 2024. This victory broke Garry Kasparov’s record as the youngest world champion and it also marked Gukesh as the second Indian to win the title, following Grand Master Viswanathan Anand.
Gukesh Dommaraju
Gukesh Dommaraju was born in 2006 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He started playing chess stage at the age of seven, with support from his parents. Recognising his son’s talent in the game, his parents made a decision to nurture it. With focused training and tournaments, he earned the the title of Grandmaster at the age of 12 years, 7 months, and 17 days, making him the second-youngest Grandmaster in history at the time.
Gukesh’s game caused him to rise rapidly in the world of chess as he consistently broke records and climbed global rankings. By July 2022, he had achieved a live rating of 2700, becoming one of the youngest players ever to reach this milestone.
As he won the World Chess Championship match, he said with tears of joy in his eyes, “every chess player wants to experience this moment, and very few get the chance.”
As a victor of the match, Gukesh has been awarded a $1.3 million prize. In addition he has received global recognition which will serve as an inspiration to generations of chess players in the country.
