Rising chess stars Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa lead India to Olympiad triumph

D Gukesh's passion for chess began as an extra-curricular activity in school and led him to become one of the world's top chess players. Gukesh led India to its first-ever gold medal in the Open category at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest. This success, along with the achievements of R Praggnanandhaa and his sister R Vaishali, has significantly boosted the popularity of chess in India.

D Gukesh's journey from a school extracurricular activity to becoming a leading chess grandmaster is a remarkable story of passion and talent.

On Sunday, Gukesh made history by leading India to its first-ever gold medal in the Open category at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest.

Gukesh's early coach, V Bhaskar, recognized his talent when he was just seven years old, setting him on a path to greatness. This success has given a significant boost to the popularity of chess in India, rivaling even cricket.

(With inputs from agencies.)