It truly has been sweet seventeen for D Gukesh, the new whiz kid of Indian chess. In June last year, when he had just turned seventeen, this Chennai wonder talent had signalled his high aspirations by beating none other than the 5-time world champion Magnus Carlsen in a blitz event. Just as he gets ready for his next birthday, Gukesh comes up with another spectacular show, winning the Candidates Tournament in Toronto on debut and what is more to become the youngest player ever to do so! Undoubtedly it is one of the greatest moments in Indian sports, let alone chess. Later this year he would be facing the reigning champion Ding Liren of China for the World championship title as the youngest challenger in the history of the sport. It was the Russian legend Garry Kasparov who had earlier held that record, having done it in 1984 when he was little over 20. Kasparov as we all know went on to become the king for multiple tenures.
Now it is time for Gukesh to take over. As Kasparov himself put it after noting the young lad’s success, it was an “ Indian earthquake in Toronto”! Coming from a legend, it meant much for the young mind. Indeed with three Indians in Canada for the event in the men’s section _ Praggnanandha and Vidit Gujrathi being the other two_ the focus was on them. But Gukesh proved he was the one ready for the big occasion. It required a big heart, cool mind and a clear vision and this brilliant boy radiated everything. Playing with the black in his last round against the second seed Hikaru Nakamura of US, considered one of the favourites, Gukesh came up with the minimum requirement of a draw and cornered glory. That was some resolve indeed which has now made him not just a household name in India but a hero at that. Though there is a bigger task ahead.
What has lent a touch of additional shine to the achievement it must be said is that Gukesh had done this in the midst of three other top quality campaigners, world number two, Italiana-American Fabiano Caruana and World number three Nakamura aside from two-time World championship contender, the Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi. In the process Gukesh pleasantly surprised not only himself and the millions of adoring Indians back home but the recent Champion Carlsen himself! The Norwegian great had been forthright on Gukesh’s chances. “I cannot imagine him winning the Candidates,” he had been quoted before the competitions got going. But that was only because Carlsen felt the 17-year old was quite not ready for the big occasion. The Indian proved him wrong. As Gukesh’s greatest motivator and mentor the many times champion Viswanathan Anand said, ultimately it was the calm and composed approach that helped the Indian contestant to prove his mettle. And it was in a spectacular fashion that he had done that leaving the rest behind.
Amazing is the only word to describe the rise of Gukesh. “As a seven-year old,” said his mother Dr Padmakumari, a Microbiologist, “he had everything any boy of that age could, playfulness, naughtiness and tricks up his sleeve. He had an interest in cricket, played that sport. But chess interest came after he closely followed his cousins’ play. The movement of the pawns and other pieces somehow held a special attraction. The love began then and we put him into organised coaching,” she said. Gukesh also played tennis to keep himself physically fit. Interestingly the two sportsmen he admires most, according to his mother, are legendary cricketer M.S. Dhoni and tennis maestro Novak Djokovic! One known for his unflappable temperament and the other for his drive to win! Gukesh seems to have a mix of both these qualities!
With his father, Dr Rajni Kanth, an ENT specialist, who has come out of his profession to be with his son, for constant support, Gukesh had been making waves ever since he decided to test his chess skills. Age 11, he won the World U-12 title and by 12 years, he had become the second youngest GM in chess history. An individual gold medal at the 2022 Chess Olympiad in Chennai advertised in good measure the young mind’s desire to go for the big. Gukesh has not looked back and the serious looks and composure only ooze confidence as the Candidates’ success now shows. There is much to look forward to in the months to come as he takes on the current World’s best for the right to the throne. He would still be just past 18!
There is no doubt that the current scenario in the country would not have come about but for Anand. His greatness, his proficiency and his deeds developed an insatiable hunger among the young minds to aim for the best. Gukesh as his coach Vishnu Prasanna, himself a Grand Master mentioned, always had the eagerness and focus. Indeed, with a flurry of young men and women coming to the top, Indian chess is truly looking up. Rightly has Kasparov said in his quote, “The ‘children’ of Vishy Anand are on the loose,” while underscoring the emerging change of equations in the world of chess.
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