Prodigy to World Champion: The story of Gukesh
Chennai, the cultural hotspot of India, where ancient traditions met modern aspirations, a young boy took the global stage by storm. The crowd gathered in front of the screens, cheering for the prodigy. Equarius Hotel, Singapore was charged with intense focus as the air of passion, dedication and a hint of nervousness filled the room. At just the age of 18, Gukesh Dommaraju, was set to create history with his pieces. Across him was the defending champion- Ding Liren. The muted lighting with spotlights at the chessboard, gleaming with the black and whites of strategy.
A chess prodigy, Gukesh has several feathers adorning his cap. He is the youngest player in the world to surpass the FIDE rating of 2750, at age 17. He is the third youngest to have surpassed 2700 Elo at the age of 16. He earned the title of grandmaster at the age of 12 and is the third-youngest grandmaster in chess history. Gukesh was an integral part of the Indian men's team that won the silver medal at the 2022 Asian Games. They also won the team bronze and an individual gold medal at the 44th Chess Olympiad in 2022. It was in the year 2023, when Gukesh became the top-rated Indian player, surpassing Indian chess hero, Vishwanathan Anand.
The 45th Chess Olympiad was dream come true for team and fans alike. The Indian team won the team gold, and Gukesh won the individual gold. Moreover, Gukesh continued his winning streak and appeared victorious in the 2024 Candidates Tournament. And then, came the highest yet point in his career where, Gukesh D won the title by defeating Ding Liren, the reigning and defending champion, to become the 18th and youngest undisputed world champion, at the age of 18 years and 195 days, just as he mentioned at age 11, "I want to become the youngest world champion" and is now one among the four players, winning the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, highest sports honour in India.
The clock started with the iconic handshake and the ceremonial first move was performed by Professor Hsu Li Yang. Ding was playing white, allowing him to start the game. It was the beginning of one of the most historic games for India. The spectators, commentators, and even the FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich commented on how "Ding's opening choice was expected, but Gukesh played a variation that nobody expected." One thing was sure, Gukesh was there to win.
After India's win in the candidates, the whole nation was intrigued by the country's potential and its young talents. The older generations were reminded of the peak Viswanathan Anand era. The fans quickly took interest in the series of chess events lined up. Artist Kvish composed an anthem for Gukesh's campaign. 'Go Go Guki' has become a source of inspiration for fans and supporters of Gukesh. It also reflects the pride he has brought to the nation and the excitement of his achievements. Industrialist, Anand Mahindra also appreciated the track as well as Gukesh's campaign in the 2024 FIDE world chess championship. The overwhelming support and interest was also noticed when ChessBase India, they broke the record for all-time high concurrent viewers on a stream. On 27th November 2024, the stream had 1,26,179 people watching the Gukesh vs Ding Liren, Game 3.
Post-match, Gukesh was visibly emotional yet standing tall. He looked up and took a moment to absorb the triumph. He started arranging the pieces as his ritual after every match, breaking down often, sobbing, and digesting the fact that he was now The World Champion.
About the author,
Shruti Mishra
Bringing fresh perspective to ideas, exploring the world and writing about it. Weaving fiction and non-fiction narratives while believing that universe keeps no debts.
