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In the press conference, Gukesh’s parents, both of whom are doctors, revealed that it was rather a matter of convenience that intially lead to Gukesh discovering chess.
World Champion D Gukesh with his parents (X)
What if we told you that the youngest World Champion in chess only became so, not because of just his sheer dedication and ethic, but also due to a sheer stroke of luck (or rather comfort) as well? D Gukesh’s father Rajinikanth, an ENT surgeon, revealed how the young Indian got into chess on Monday.
The 18-year-old Indian GM ousted Chinese GM Ding Liren in Game 14 of the World Chess Championships to become the youngest world champion in the history of the sport last Thursday.
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With his monumental win, Gukesh became the 18th GM and just the second Indian GM, after the legendary Viswanathan Anand, to win the world championship title.
Addressing a presser after his arrival in Chennai, Gukesh and his parents were greeted with embraces, cheers and garlands galore as crowds swarmed the Chennai International Airport in anticipation of the new World Champion.
In the press conference, Gukesh’s parents, both of whom are doctors, revealed that it was a matter of convenience that intially lead to Gukesh discovering chess.
“We did not even plan on having him play chess. We were just trying to enroll him in extracurricular activities such as physical sports during the summers in Vellamal. We enrolled him into chess because it was easy for us to also manage our time and job schedules whilst ensuring he was being taken care of,” Gukesh’s father stated.
“But, once he picked up interest in the sport, we just kept supporting him and he did the rest.”
Once he caught a whiff of the world that lies within the 64 squares of a chess board, there was no turning back for Gukesh, who whose drive and hunger led him to develop into the world champion he is today.
“He learnt only by playing more and more. Gukesh was relentless in his pursuit to keep playing. Most children stop after playing one tournament, but he would play like four tournaments to even feel like he’s starting to get into the rhythm.”
Gukesh sure persisted, as the young Indian battled it out through 14 long games, before he finally got to capitalise on a golden opportunity to cash in and reap the rewards of all his labour over the years: a blunder by Liren, which helped Gukesh earn the World Championship title.
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December 16, 2024, 13:48 IST
News sports ‘Did Not Even Plan On Making Him Play Chess’: D Gukesh’s Father Reveals How World Champion Discovered Chess
