Chess prodigy Dommaraju Gukesh, who is also the youngest chess world championship challenger, was awarded the businessline’s Young Changemaker award at a time when Gukesh beat Iceland’s H Stefansson in the second round of the 45th Chess Olympiad at Budapest (Hungary).
Gukesh’s grandparents, Usha and Shankar Raju, received the award on behalf of the 18-year old, who is representing India at the Chess Olympiad.
In his video message, Gukesh thanked businessline for its support. He said that the success has been the result of hard work and the efforts by his family, particularly his parents.
The beginnings
Gukesh’s grandfather, Shankar Raju said the chess prodigy’s interest in chess was discovered at an early age of 3 years. His coach in school discovered his passion and immense talent and taught him how to play the game.
“We discovered that Gukesh had a talent for chess and was brilliant. His parents virtually left their careers to concentrate and nurture his talent. His father, an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor, devoted a lot of time for Gukesh. He has talent, but he has also worked very hard to nurture and sharpen his skills,” said Shankar Raju.
Dommaraju Gukesh made history by becoming the youngest chess world championship challenger ever. He capped 2023 as the leader of the FIDE Circuit, earning a spot in the Candidates Tournament as the third youngest player in history after the legend, Bobby Fischer and former five-time world champion, Norway’s Magnus Carlsen. Eighteen-year-old Gukesh won the Candidates Tournament 2024 and will challenge reigning world champion Ding Liren of China for the world title.
Gukesh became only the sixth Indian to surpass the 2700 Elo rating mark in March 2022, making him the youngest Indian Grandmaster ever to achieve this feat. At 16 years, 1 month and 7 days, he also became the third youngest player in the world to be rated above 2700 and later, the youngest to reach 2750.