Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh had the entire nation cheering as he became the youngest-ever World Chess Champion. The 18-year-old defeated China's Ding Liren in the decisive 14th and final game, capitalizing on Ding’s error to secure victory in 58 moves.
During the intense game, with everything on the line, Gukesh's father, Rajnikanth, an ENT surgeon, was seen nervously pacing outside the room. The moment he realized Gukesh had won, fans witnessed a wave of emotions on his face—ranging from disbelief and shock to pure joy.?A heartwarming video captures his father’s emotional reaction to the victory, culminating in a touching father-son hug that has since gone viral.?
The Government of India shared the video on their Instagram account, captioning it: "Gukesh's dad when he found out his son clinched the World Championship: pure disbelief, followed by unstoppable pride."
Born as Gukesh Dommaraju on May 29, 2006, he achieved the Grandmaster title at just 12 years old. The year 2024 was nothing short of extraordinary for him, as he won the Candidates Tournament, securing a spot in the World Chess Championship against Ding Liren.?Gukesh clinched victory with 7.5 points to Liren's 6.5 after triumphing in the final classical time control game of the 14-game match, which had largely appeared destined for a draw.
In September, Gukesh led India to its first-ever Chess Olympiad gold medal alongside teammates Arjun Erigaisi, Pentala Harikrishna, R Praggnanandhaa, and Vidit Gujrathi.?
He has now become the second Indian to win the World Chess Championship, following in the footsteps of the legendary Viswanathan Anand, a four-time champion (2007, 2008, 2010, 2012).?
With this historic victory, Gukesh claimed a prize of USD 1.35 million (approximately ?11.45 crore) from the total $2.5 million prize pool in the 2024 World Chess Championship.Each classical game win in the championship was valued at $200,000 (approximately ?1.69 crore).?
Gukesh secured three wins, earning $600,000 (around ?5.07 crore), while Ding Liren won two games, pocketing $400,000 (approximately ?3.38 crore).The remaining $1.5 million is being equally divided between the players. As a result, Gukesh's total earnings amount to $1.35 million (about ?11.45 crore), and Liren will receive $1.15 million (approximately ?9.75 crore).?
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