Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], June 6 (ANI): Adani Sportsline’s “Garv Hai” athlete Praggnanandhaa R scripted history by becoming the first Indian champion at Norway Chess after an outstanding campaign in Oslo.
According to a press release, the 20-year-old Grandmaster finished ahead of a line-up featuring World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, reigning World Champion Gukesh D, Alireza Firouzja, Wesley So and Vincent Keymer. Along the way, he defeated Carlsen twice and registered a crucial classical victory over Gukesh, becoming the first Indian to lift one of chess’s most coveted trophies. Entering the final round in contention for the title, Praggnanandhaa held fellow Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi to a draw before prevailing in the Armageddon tiebreak. The result, combined with outcomes elsewhere, secured his place at the top of the standings and completed a landmark triumph for Indian chess. Gautam Adani, Chairman, Adani Group, congratulated Praggnanandhaa on becoming the first Indian to win Norway Chess, describing the achievement as “one of the ultimate tests of endurance, intellect and temperament in the world of chess”. Adani, who recognised Praggnanandhaa’s exceptional promise early in his journey and backed him through the Adani Sportsline’s “Garv Hai” initiative, noted that defeating the world’s best players on one of the sport’s grandest stages was a remarkable feat and praised the young Grandmaster’s fearless, focused and deeply Indian spirit. The Chairman said Praggnanandhaa represented the confidence of a rising, youthful India and that the entire nation was immensely proud of his achievement. Mr Pranav Adani, Director, Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL), said in the press release, “Praggnanandhaa’s achievement in becoming the first Indian to win Norway Chess, one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world, is a proud moment for Indian chess and Indian sport. We are incredibly proud of him and all that he has achieved in Oslo. He continues to make giant strides for Indian chess and Indian sport and his journey will inspire countless young boys and girls across the country to take up chess and pursue their dreams with confidence. We wish him continued success in the years ahead.” Established in 2013, Norway Chess is widely regarded as one of the strongest and most prestigious events on the international chess calendar. Despite India’s rich chess legacy and the participation of several leading Indian Grandmasters over the years, neither five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand nor reigning World Champion Gukesh D had previously won the title, making Praggnanandhaa’s achievement particularly significant. His triumph comes amid a remarkable phase for Indian chess, with a new generation of Grandmasters consistently challenging and defeating the world’s best players on the biggest stages. Widely regarded as the “Wimbledon of Chess”, Norway Chess annually brings together many of the game’s highest-ranked players. This year’s edition was among the strongest in recent memory, featuring multiple world-title contenders and some of the sport’s most accomplished Grandmasters. Throughout the tournament, Praggnanandhaa displayed remarkable resilience and composure, repeatedly responding to setbacks with decisive performances to stay in contention and ultimately secure the crown. His victories over Carlsen were particularly significant. Praggnanandhaa joined an elite group of players to have defeated the Norwegian twice in the same tournament and also became one of the few players to have recorded three classical victories over the five-time World Champion, the press release said. The triumph marks another landmark moment in Praggnanandhaa’s remarkable rise and further strengthens his standing among the game’s brightest talents. It also reflects the growing strength and depth of Indian chess, with a new generation of Grandmasters continuing to challenge the world’s best. Praggnanandhaa is supported by Adani Sportsline through its “Garv Hai” initiative, which nurtures India’s next generation of sporting champions through financial support, international exposure and structured mentorship. Adani Sportsline is the sports arm of the diversified Adani Group, which has a presence in ports, logistics, energy, utility, infrastructure, electric power generation and transmission, mining, airport operations, natural gas, and food processing. As per the press release, formed in 2019, Adani Sportsline has an overarching philosophy to inculcate a culture of sports at the grassroots level and create globally competitive opportunities for future champions in India. In line with the group’s vision of nation-building, the company aims to build a world-class ecosystem that nurtures sporting talent, accelerates the sports economy and plays the role of an enabler in India’s journey to become a leading sporting nation. (ANI)
