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Watch: Grand Welcome at Chennai Airport for Praggnanandhaa

Praggnanandhaa

Chennai, February 4, 2025 – GM Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa received a grand welcome at Chennai International Airport after his historic win at the Tata Steel Chess Masters 2025. Hundreds of fans, including schoolmates, chess enthusiasts, and local dignitaries, celebrated his remarkable achievement.

A Hero’s Welcome for Praggnanandhaa

Pragg secured the title by defeating reigning World Champion D Gukesh in a thrilling tiebreaker, was met with cheers and applause upon exiting the airport. The young Grandmaster expressed his gratitude for the overwhelming support, saying, “It feels really great. I think it is good for Chess“.

Also Read: Praggnanandhaa Credits Magnus Carlsen’s Influence for Tata Steel Chess Masters 2025 Victory

Pragg’s victory is a significant milestone in Indian chess. He is the first Indian to win the Tata Steel Chess Masters since Viswanathan Anand in 2006. His journey was marked by determination, winning six matches, losing two, and drawing five.

Reflecting on his achievement, Pragg shared, “I knew what went wrong in the last six months and I knew what I needed to work on. I will keep trying to get better at it. I changed some things for this tournament (in my play), and it worked“.

Also Read: Viswanathan Anand Withdraws from Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Amid FIDE Tensions