It would be unfair on the other players to say that he has single-handedly driven the rise of Indian chess in the post-Viswanathan Anand era. Like most major happenings in sports, this has also been a process. It involved various players at different times. It took a lot of effort on the part of several entities to make the transition.
But, overlooking the performance of R Praggnanandhaa in this unprecedented surge would still be impossible. He has been right at the forefront of this neo-Indian chess movement. From not being in the world reckoning after Anand, to pushing a few who can ask tough questions of the best, this has been remarkable.
Considering his rise from 52nd in the world rankings in December 2022, to No. 13 in December 2023, Praggnanandhaa has to be seen as the face of this coming of age.
For long, Indian chess began and ended with Anand. He was the five-time world champion, who broke the hegemony of the former Soviet republics in world chess. What after him? For years, Indian chess struggled with the answer. Forget matching Anand, nobody came even close to qualifying for the Candidates.
After decades, that shackle has been broken. In the next Candidates event, which selects the challenger to take on the world champion in the open section, there will be two Indians. Along with world No. 15 Vidit Gujrathi, Praggnanandhaa will represent the Indian flag in Toronto come April next year.
From zero to two in a field of eight of the world’s elite players is a significant improvement. Vidit played his part in this. So did Krishnan Sasikiran and Pentala Harikrishna before him. These two came close, but could not stay in the top league for that long. Of late, D Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi have also made rapid strides, although they did not qualify for the Candidates. With Vidit, Praggnanandhaa has broken this hoodoo.
Because Praggnanandhaa is still just 18 and has already created ripples in the top tier of international chess, his performance has to be rated as exceptional. He stunned those watching at the World Cup earlier this year by beating the World No. 2 and 3, before losing the final in a tie-breaker against No. 1 Magnus Carlsen.
It was no flash in the pan. This boy from Chennai, coached by RB Ramesh at Chess Gurukul, has been making headlines since he was 10 or so. His elder sister, R Vaishali, has also become a Grandmaster, making them a unique pair of siblings to have secured the title every chess player aspires for.
Praggnanandhaa was hailed as a prodigy long ago. But his story has followed a consistent path, which sometimes eludes kids who start with a bang and fail to live up to the early expectations. He did not deviate. His success after a sound start was not always spectacular. But it followed a steady and realistic trajectory.
Praggnanandhaa’s Elo rating of 2740 is staggeringly high for someone still so young. His composure and ability to make the right moves under pressure have taken the world by surprise. He can think faster than seasoned pros and get it right.
Praggnanandhaa says he does not spend a lot of time on social media. He is near-incommunicable as well. His coaches and his support system have guarded him from the distractions a teenager is likely to succumb to. His coach Ramesh has gone on record saying that he is naturally cut off from the clamours of the outer world.
Ramesh has also said that he expects Praggnanandhaa to become the world champion in four to five years. Praggnanandhaa is not very eloquent. He, too, has said that he can achieve this goal. That’s the confidence of a rare kind in an 18-year-old. Strikingly, there is no sign of aggression in such statements. They come with cool confidence.
A world title may be a bit distant at the moment. Praggnanandhaa has made a start towards the top. He is yet to cement his place there. But 2023 will always remain the year when he made that start. The impact has been loud, even though his methods have been quiet. He is the face of Indian chess after Anand.