Anand Mahindra Lauds Indian Chess Prodigy Praggnanandhaa After His Remarkable World Cup Run

India's Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, a young chess talent of India, finished second in the Chess World Cup 2023. He may have lost the final match, but he definitely won hearts of many.

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa/ X

While many congratulatory messages poured in for the young chap, business magnate and Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra had a rather inspiring message to share.

Not runner-up but run-up to Gold, says Anand Mahindra

The International Chess Federation tweeted on X (formerly Twitter) congratulating the 18-year-old Praggnanandhaa: "Congratulations to the 18-year-old Indian prodigy on an impressive tournament! On his way to the final, Praggnanandhaa beat, among others, world #2 Hikaru Nakamura and #3 Fabiano Caruana! By winning the silver medal, Praggnanandhaa also secured a ticket to the #FIDECandidates."

Responding to this tweet on August 24, Anand Mahindra shared: "You're not the 'runner-up' @rpragchess. This is simply your 'run-up' to Gold and to greatness. Many battles require learning and living to fight another day. You've learned, and you will fight again; we will all be there, cheering you on loudly."

You aren¡¯t the ¡®runner-up¡¯ @rpragchess This is simply your ¡®run-up¡¯ to Gold and to greatness. Many battles require you to learn & live to fight another day. You¡¯ve learned & you will fight again; and we will all be there again¡­cheering you on loudly. ???????? #praggnanandha https://t.co/2L0U1cZD4E

¡ª anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) August 24, 2023

Earlier, on August 22, he had cheered Praggnanandhaa on X when he had made it to the final: "Pragg @rpragchess makes Bigg Bigg news. My heart is swollen with pride. Bless this talented youngster and may he keep making us stand tall in the world of Chess (Chaturanga!) in the future¡­"

Praggnanandhaa, who turned 18 during the World Cup, is the youngest finalist of the tournament ever. Seeded 31, Pragg is also the lowest seed to make the final of the World Cup.

Nation proud of Praggnanandhaa

Prime Minister Modi wrote on 'X', "We are proud of Praggnanandhaa for his remarkable performance at the FIDE World Cup! He showcased his exceptional skills and gave a tough fight to the formidable Magnus Carlsen in the finals."

We are proud of Praggnanandhaa for his remarkable performance at the FIDE World Cup! He showcased his exceptional skills and gave a tough fight to the formidable Magnus Carlsen in the finals. This is no small feat. Wishing him the very best for his upcoming tournaments. pic.twitter.com/KXYcFRGYTO

¡ª Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 24, 2023

Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar also took to social media to congratulate Praggnanandhaa for his feat, saying, "Congratulations on an incredible tournament, @rpragchess! Keep chasing your dreams and making India proud."

Hold your head high Praggnanandhaa. The whole nation is proud of you ???@rpragchess pic.twitter.com/YqUAOiNl6u

¡ª Yuzvendra Chahal (@yuzi_chahal) August 24, 2023

Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, a former chess player, wrote: "Hold your head high Praggnanandhaa. The whole nation is proud of you."

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