D Gukesh received a hero’s welcome as he arrived at the airport in the early hours of Thursday morning after his historic triumph at the Candidates Chess Tournament in Toronto. A large crowd, including hundreds of students from his school, Velammal Vidyalaya, eagerly awaited his arrival, and the area around the exit gate was packed with well-wishers.
Expressing Gratitude
Upon his arrival, Gukesh expressed his happiness and gratitude, saying, “I feel very happy for this homecoming, this is a special achievement. I was in a good space since the beginning of the tournament, I had full confidence that I will emerge top in this tournament and luck was on my side as well.” He thanked his parents, coach, friends, family, sponsor, and school for their support in helping him win the tournament. Gukesh’s mother, Padma, a microbiologist, was present to receive him along with other family members. His father, Rajinikanth, an ENT surgeon who quit his practice to support his son, had accompanied Gukesh to Toronto for the tournament.
Pride and Recognition
Rajinikanth expressed his pride in his son’s achievements, stating, “It is a very proud moment for us. We need some time to realize the importance of the achievements because it is very hectic till now.”
Historic Milestones
By winning the Candidates Tournament, Gukesh became the first Indian after Viswanathan Anand to secure the right to challenge the reigning world champion. He also broke Garry Kasparov’s record, becoming the youngest ever challenger for the title at the age of 17. Gukesh acknowledged Anand’s role in his career, saying, “Viswanathan Anand is an inspiration to everyone. He has played a huge role in my career. I am really glad.” Gukesh’s performance at the Candidates Tournament has been praised by chess legend Garry Kasparov, who described it as “the Indian earthquake in Toronto” and a “tectonic shift” in the sport’s global world order.
Future Challenges
Gukesh’s victory entitles him to a match against the current world champion, Ding Liren of China, later this year. The young Grandmaster has been making waves in the chess world for some time now. He became India’s youngest Grandmaster at the age of 12 years, seven months, and 17 days in January 2019. Currently, he has a FIDE rating of 2743, with his peak rating being 2758, which he attained last September. Gukesh is currently ranked 16th in the FIDE Rankings, with his best ranking to date being eighth, which he reached last September. Among his recent notable achievements is a silver medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year in the men’s team category.
