India’s chess star Gukesh Dommaraju returned to a hero’s welcome in his home city on Monday after becoming the youngest world champion aged only 18.
Hundreds of fans crowded the arrivals area of Chennai airport, cheering alongside banks of television cameras as Gukesh made his way out of the airport after victory in taking the World Chess Championship title.
“It means a lot to bring back the trophy to India,” Gukesh told reporters, with garlands of flowers draped around his neck, brandishing the glittering trophy in his hand.
“I can see the support and what it means to India, I am glad to be here,” he added, as celebratory petals thrown into the air smothered his hair.
Gukesh downed China’s Ding Liren in a dramatic endgame in Singapore last week — becoming a sudden superstar in a nation where sporting fans are usually only obsessed with cricket.
The scenes in the south Indian city of Chennai were reminiscent — albeit on a smaller scale — of this year’s triumphant homecoming of the country’s cricket stars with the T20 World Cup trophy.
Young fans, mainly from Gukesh’s school, held placards and photos of their new hero — whose victory has given a boost to dreams of pursuing chess as a professional sport.
When he won in Singapore — after nearly three weeks and 14 games of intense battle against the 32-year-old Ding — Gukesh burst into tears.
Gukesh, who is usually reserved and more used to quiet and cerebral tournaments than wild celebrations, looked almost overwhelmed by the rock star welcome on Monday.
“You guys are amazing,” he told fans, before he was swiftly ushered into a car smothered in posters of him, alongside his father. “You gave me so much energy”.
– ‘Inspired millions’ –
Gukesh’s father, a doctor, has been by his son’s side in a rollercoaster ride that took off when he became India’s youngest grandmaster aged 12 years, seven months and 17 days — among the youngest in the history of the game.
In April, he became the youngest-ever winner of the prestigious Candidates Tournament, clinching his entry into the world championship.
Gukesh surpassed a record held by Russia’s Garry Kasparov, who won the title at age 22, after Ding, 32, faltered at the final hurdle of his title defence.
He is the second Indian to hold the title after five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand, who also hails from Chennai.
Gukesh will be honoured by the government of his home state Tamil Nadu, and is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the capital New Delhi later this month.
Modi has already praised his “remarkable accomplishment”, saying in a statement that “his triumph has not only etched his name in the annals of chess history but has also inspired millions of young minds to dream big and pursue excellence.”
