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File photo of R Praggnanandhaa
India chess prodigy and FIDE World Cup 2023 runner-up Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin in Chennai in Chennai on Wednesday. Praggnanandhaa returned to India today after enjoying a successful campaign in the FIDE World Cup 2023 in Baku, Azerbaijan, where he went toe to toe with the Top 3 chess players in the world. The young chess grandmaster was received with 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.
Later in the day, he went on to meet Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin and Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin. Praggnanandhaa’s coach Ramesh RB, his father Rameshbabu and his mother Nagalakshmi were also present during his chat with the CM and Sports Minister.
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.”
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 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.
The Norwegian chess grandmaster won the first game of the Rapid Chess tie-breaker with black pieces and managed to hold on for a draw in the second game with white pieces. Praggnanandhaa fought hard but fell short with Carlsen summoning all his big match experience when it mattered the most. Earlier Praggnanandhaa and Carlsen drew two games of Classical Chess.
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