PM Modi Hails Praggnanandhaa After Chess World Cup Silver: 'He Gave Tough Fight To Magnus Carlsen'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid tribute to chess prodigy Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa after the teen Grandmaster's silver-medal performance at the World Cup 2023 in Baku.

Praggnanandhaa beat some of the biggest names in chess on his way to the summit clash where he met his match in world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen.

The Norwegian legend defeated Pragg in the first rapid game of the tiebreaker before a drawing the second to clinch his maiden FIDE World Cup title.

But nonetheless, Praggnanandhaa's record-breaking run is being celebrated by the entire country and it seems like only a matter of time before he turns the colour of his World Cup medal from silver to gold.

PM Mod took to X (formerly Twitter) to congratulate Pragg on his performance and posted a heartfelt message for the 18-year-old from Chennai.

"We are proud of Praggnanandhaa for his remarkable performance at the FIDE World Cup!

"He showcased his exceptional skills and gave a tough fight to the formidable Magnus Carlsen in the finals.

"This is no small feat. Wishing him the very best for his upcoming tournaments," PM Modi tweeted.

Magnus Carlsen wins maiden World Cup title

Carlsen beat Praggnanandhaa's 1.5-0.5 in the tie-break after the classical games ended in a stalemate.

The second 25+10 tie-break game ended in a draw in 22 moves as the Norwegian legend played it safe after he had won the first, displaying his end-game skills.

It was Carlsen's first World Cup triumph, having won the World Championship five times.