D Gukesh wins: How chess capital Chennai gifted India another world champion

D Gukesh capped off a sensational 2024 for Indian chess by claiming the coveted crown in the sport. At just 18 years of age, the Indian Grandmaster won the World Championship title, defeating China’s Ding Liren in the ultimate showdown held in Singapore. Gukesh has etched his name alongside Viswanathan Anand, his illustrious predecessor and five-time World Champion. Interestingly, both champions hail from Chennai, often dubbed the Chess Capital of India.

The six world championship titles won between these two Chennai icons highlight Tamil Nadu’s rich chess ecosystem—a network of institutions, academies, and dedicated mentors that has nurtured an army of Grandmasters over the years.

When Gukesh lifted the trophy during the closing ceremony on Friday, he took a moment to thank his school, Velammal Vidyalaya, recalling the day he first began playing chess at a summer camp there.

“I would also like to thank my school Velammal. My whole journey started in a summer camp at my school in Chennai. From day one, they have supported me in so many ways,” Gukesh said.

To call Velammal Vidyalaya the epicentre of the chess boom in Chennai is no exaggeration. As Gukesh ascended to the pinnacle of world chess, the school celebrated this crowning moment in its storied history of fostering talent.

Building on the rich chess tradition of Chennai, which gained momentum in the 1970s through institutions, Velammal continues to uphold and enhance this heritage. Chess clubs and gurukuls, run by Grandmasters, are also nurturing young talents.

CRADLE OF CHESS

India has produced a total of 84 Grandmasters, with 29 hailing from Tamil Nadu. Remarkably, Velammal Vidyalaya in Chennai alone has been home to 15 of these chess wizards.

A key element of this success is the seamless integration of chess into the school’s educational framework. Programmes such as the “7 to 17 initiative,” introduced under former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in 2013, have ensured that students engage with chess in a structured and sustained manner from an early age, according to news agency PTI.

Beyond academics, Velammal places significant emphasis on competitive exposure, encouraging students to participate in regular tournaments to build resilience and sharpen their skills. This strategy has borne fruit. Unsurprisingly, Velammal teams have clinched the World School Chess Championship title for five consecutive years, with Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa being part of a winning team in 2021.

The MK Stalin-led Tamil Nadu government, which announced a cash reward of Rs 5 crore to D Gukesh, has been actively supporting the growth of the sport in Chennai. The 44th Chess Olympiad was hosted by Chennai when the All India Chess Federation acted swiftly and lapped up the opportunity after Moscow lost its hosting rights in 2022. Chennai put on a special show, hosting the greats of the game in the historical town of Mamallapuram.

GRANDMASTERS TURN MENTORS

Indian chess has also benefited from its cadre of Grandmasters, who actively nurture young talent. Icons such as Viswanathan Anand have taken a hands-on approach, founding initiatives like the Westbridge Anand Chess Academy (WACA) in 2020. Inspired by the legendary Botvinnik School of Chess, WACA focuses on identifying and honing India’s brightest prospects.

“Many players already have strong support systems. What WACA does is to fill in the gaps—whether in coaching, strategy, or logistics,” Anand explained earlier this year.

With a core group of esteemed coaches, including Grzegorz Gajewski and Artur Yusupov, WACA has become a vital incubator for Indian talent. Its mentees, including Praggnanandhaa and Nihal Sarin, have consistently delivered stellar performances over the past four years.

“I would like to thank my sponsors, Westbridge (Westbridge Anand Chess Academy). They have supported me in so many ways, both financially and emotionally. This is a beautiful moment, and we couldn’t have done it without your help,” Gukesh said during his victory speech, acknowledging the academy’s influence on his career.

Tamil Nadu, and indeed India, has been fortunate to have Grandmasters who are eager to give back to the chess community. Figures like GM Ramesh, his wife Aarthie Ramaswamy (a Women’s Grandmaster), and Gukesh’s coach GM Vishnu Prasanna are actively involved in mentoring the next generation of players.

Access to the expertise of such stalwarts spares young talents the trouble of navigating the challenges of professional chess on their own. This accelerates their journey from promising players to potential world-beaters.

With Gukesh’s victory and the rise of prodigies like Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Vaishali, and Nihal Sarin, Indian chess appears poised for a golden generation.

GM Ramesh likens the current landscape to “two different planets” compared to the pre-2000 era. Back then, Indian players struggled with limited access to resources, training, and international exposure. Today, they benefit from a robust ecosystem, state-of-the-art facilities, and a growing pool of mentors.

Developing an ecosystem takes time, but once it is in place, the growth of chess talents will accelerate. Gukesh’s victory is a testament to this philosophy — a culmination of years of dedication, vision, and the collective effort of a region that has embraced chess as its own.