At just 18 years old, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa has etched his name in Indian chess history by outplaying the reigning world champion, Ding Liren, at the TATA Steel Chess Tournament. Tata Steel Chess Tournament is an annual chess tournament held in January in Wijk aan Zee, the Netherlands. This spectacular victory not only propels him to the top spot in Indian chess but also marks him as the second Indian, after Viswanathan Anand, to conquer a world champion in classical chess.

Praggnanandhaa overtook Anand in FIDE's live ratings. He now stands as India's new chess sensation with a rating of 2748.3, a mere 0.3 points ahead of the five-time world champion. This triumph is not just a numerical milestone; it symbolizes the shift of power within the Indian chess hierarchy.

Praggnanandhaa expressed his surprise at defeating Ding Liren. The young grandmaster shared his thoughts, saying, "I felt I equalized very easily and then somehow things started to go wrong for him. Even after I won the pawn I felt it should be holdable." His humility and strategic acumen shine through, highlighting the challenges he overcame in the game.

Reflecting on the significance of this win, Praggnanandhaa remarked, "I think any day, if you beat such a strong player, it's always special because it's not very easy to beat them. The first time winning against a world champion in classical chess feels good." This victory shows his continuous evolution as a young talent.

While basking in the glow of his initial success in the tournament, Praggnanandhaa remains grounded. He is aware of the impending challenges and the need to sustain his performance throughout the competition. As is evident from his words: "It's good. I think the first three games were quite interesting. I think I am playing well but it was the same case last year. There was a point when I was playing really well and then my play dropped quite badly so I think it's really important to keep the energy high till the end of the tournament."

As Praggnanandhaa basks in the glory of his newfound status as India's top-ranked chess player, the country eagerly anticipates his success in the tournament that will give a further boost to this young prodigy's promising career.