WATCH: Praggnanandhaa arrives in Chennai to hero’s welcome after FIDE World Cup exploits | Chess News

Indian chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa was given a hero’s welcome when he landed at Chennai Airport on Wednesday following his heroics at the recent FIDE World Cup in Baku.
The 18-year-old lost in the final to five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen, but made hory along the way and booked himself a spot in the prestigious Candidates tournament which is an event to find a challenger to world champion Ding Liren at the next World Championship contest.
Officials from Tamil Nadu’s sports department were at hand to receive Pragg at the airport while representatives of his school, Vellamal Matriculation, were also there with a giant banner.

He’s back home 🙂 #Pragg #Chess pic.twitter.com/f5IlI8Rq8g
— T.N. Raghu (@tnrags) August 30, 2023
Video clips showed the teenager in an open-roof car with a hoard of TV cameras and mics surrounding him.
Media reports said he was presented with bouquets and a shawl with flowers being strewn on his path as he stepped out. A report the Press Trust of India said arts performed Karagattam and Oyilattam, folk dances of Tamil Nadu, on the occasion.

You see the crown but not the king. #Pragg #Chess #ChennaiAirport pic.twitter.com/uwAiXG5fr1
— T.N. Raghu (@tnrags) August 30, 2023
The teenager took his time watching the media persons swarm on either side of the vehicle into which he got into, and reacted “I am very happy over the reception.” He accepted the national tricolour offered to him and waved it.
His mother Nagalakshmi too expressed glee over the grand reception accorded to her 18-year-old son.

#Pragg #Chess #Chennai #WelcomeHome #NammaPaiyan #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/i2jlqy1V
— T.N. Raghu (@tnrags) August 30, 2023
Indian Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa’s dream run in the FIDE World Cup ended at the hands of Norwegian Magnus Carlsen, who beat him 1.5-0.5 in the tie-break at Baku, Azerbaijan, on August 24 after the classical games ended in a stalemate.Most Read
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Despite the final result, Praggnanandhaa’s achievement resonated with the dreams of 140 crore people, Chief Miner M K Stalin had said and congratulated him for clinching the silver medal and entering the FIDE Candidates tournament.
The young Grand Master has an elder ser R Vaishali, who is two times youth chess champion.

His parents Rameshbabu, a manager at the TNSC Bank and mother have been great source of inspiration to Praggnanandhaa. (With inputs from PTI)