NEW DELHI: India's teen chess sensation, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, known as "Pragg," had the privilege of meeting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his official residence in Delhi on Thursday, a day after receiving a hero's welcome. The young chess sensation, who recently competed against world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in the World Cup final, expressed his gratitude for the encouragement and support he has received from the Prime Minister.
After the meeting, Praggnanandhaa took to social media platform X to share his experience: "It was a great honour to meet Hon'ble Prime Minister @narendramodi at his residence! Thank you sir for all the words of encouragement to me and my parents."
In response, PM Modi lauded the chess prodigy: "Had very special visitors at 7, LKM today. Delighted to meet you, @rpragchess along with your family. You personify passion and perseverance. Your example shows how India's youth can conquer any domain. Proud of you!"
18-year-old Pragg made headlines as the youngest player to reach a chess World Cup final, held recently in Baku, Azerbaijan. Though he secured the silver medal after a closely contested tiebreak against Carlsen, his performance earned admiration from chess legend Garry Kasparov, who praised Pragg's tenacity in challenging situations.
Upon his return to Chennai, Pragg was greeted with an outpouring of support from fans who offered flowers and sweets in recognition of his remarkable achievements. Such accolades are typically reserved for cricket stars in India, making Pragg's recognition in the chess arena all the more noteworthy.
In 2018, at the age of 12 years, 10 months, and 13 days, Pragg became the world's then second-youngest chess grandmaster. His achievements, along with the success of chess icon Vishwanathan Anand, have contributed to the surging popularity of the sport in India over the past two decades.
