"Indeed an incredible milestone": PM Modi hails Praggnanandhaa's historic Norway Chess triumph
New Delhi, June 6
PM Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated R Praggnanandhaa on his historic Norway Chess triumph, describing it as a remarkable achievement and an important milestone in the young Grandmaster's career.
He praised Praggnanandhaa's continued excellence on the global stage and extended his best wishes for even greater success in the future.
Praggnanandhaa added another landmark achievement to Indian chess by becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious Norway Chess title after a strong late surge in Oslo.
"Congratulations to Praggnanandhaa for this remarkable feat! This is indeed an incredible milestone that highlights his continued excellence. My best wishes to him for his future endeavours," Modi wrote in a post on X.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay also extended his wishes to Praggnanandhaa on his historic triumph, calling it a proud moment for Tamil Nadu and India. He praised Praggnanandhaa's brilliant performance in the tournament, highlighting his feat of defeating world champion Magnus Carlsen twice and securing four consecutive wins.
"My heartfelt congratulations to Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa, who created history by becoming the first Indian to win the Norway Chess 2026 title in Oslo, the capital of Norway, through his brilliant and intelligent performance. He achieved the remarkable feat of defeating reigning champion Magnus Carlsen twice in the same tournament and securing four consecutive victories. I extend my best wishes to Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa, who has brought great pride to both Tamil Nadu and India, and I wish him continued success in achieving many more milestones in the future," Vijay wrote in an X post.
The 20-year-old Grandmaster clinched the crown with a final-round victory over Germany's Vincent Keymer, capping off one of the most impressive comeback runs in the tournament's history.
The elite tournament featured a world-class field, including World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, reigning world champion D Gukesh, Alireza Firouzja, Wesley So and Vincent Keymer, making it one of the strongest events on the international chess calendar.
The victory over Keymer came on the back of Praggnanandhaa's wins against Alireza Firouzja, World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and reigning world champion D Gukesh over the previous four days. The tournament also saw Praggnanandhaa complete a rare double over Carlsen.
Entering the round half a point behind Wesley So, Praggnanandhaa knew that a win would put him in a strong position to seize the title. Playing with the white pieces against Vincent Keymer, the Indian Grandmaster made full use of his opportunity, converting a crucial victory.
The result earned Praggnanandhaa a maximum of three points and took his tally to 18, enough to secure first place in the standings.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Wonderful news! But I wish more focus would be on domestic infrastructure for sports. We celebrate these individual achievements, but how many more are missing out because of lack of support? Still, very proud of Praggnanandhaa today. 🙏
Absolutely a proud moment for Tamil Nadu and India! From Viswanathan Anand to Gukesh, now Praggnanandhaa - our chess legacy is growing stronger. This young man has shown pure grit. Four consecutive wins against world-class players is just phenomenal!
As someone who follows chess closely, this is a huge deal. Norway Chess is one of the most prestigious tournaments, and the field was stacked with elite players. Praggnanandhaa's comeback story is inspiring. India is producing world-class talent at an incredible rate.
So proud to see our young prodigies shining globally! Praggnanandhaa's journey from a child chess star to beating legends is amazing. And double victory over Carlsen? That's legendary stuff! Wishing him many more successes. ✨🎉
Incredible achievement no doubt, but also a reminder of how far we've come as a chess nation. From one grandmaster to a whole generation now competing at the highest level. Hope the government continues to nurture such talent from smaller towns too. Congratulations, Pragg! 👏
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