It was a historic moment for Indians as an 18-year-old Gukesh Dommaraju clinched the World Chess Championship title. With this feat, he has become the youngest-ever chess world champion.
However, a victory, which has captivated the nation, has now sparked a rivalry between Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Both the cities are claiming that Gukesh is their own.
“To honour the monumental achievement of @DGukesh, the youngest-ever World Chess Champion, I am delighted to announce a cash prize of ₹5 crore!” Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said in a tweet.
On Friday, he has announced a cash prize of ₹5 crore for D Gukesh in recognition of his remarkable achievement of becoming the youngest World Chess Champion.
The debate for credit began with Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister MK Stalin, who took to X, formerly Twitter, to celebrate Gukesh’s monumental achievement.
Shortly after, Andhra Pradesh’s Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu also congratulated the young prodigy. He wrote, “Hearty congratulations to our very own Telugu boy... The entire nation celebrates your incredible achievement,” Naidu wrote, sharing a headshot of Gukesh with the message, “Wishing you many more triumphs and accolades in the decades to come.”
Meanwhile, as far as Gukesh’s roots are concerned, he has a Telugu descent who was born and raised in Chennai.
"To honour the monumental achievement of @DGukesh, the youngest-ever World Chess Champion, I am delighted to announce a cash prize of ₹5 crore!" Stalin said in a tweet.
His parents, both medical professionals, supported his interest in chess.
Although he started later than many, Gukesh’s exceptional talent quickly became apparent, and by the age of eight, he was already a FIDE-rated player.
His recent achievement has sparked an online debate over his heritage and the state that shaped his career.
Battle over credit
The debate over Gukesh’s roots has erupted over social media, with users on X fiercely defending either Tamil Nadu or Andhra Pradesh’s claim over the young chess star.
Many supporters of Tamil Nadu point out the state’s significant role in Gukesh’s rise, citing the financial support he received from the Tamil Nadu government, including ₹75 lakh gift.
Many others were quick to defend Gukesh’s Telugu heritage.
Yet, some users downplayed the debate, focusing on Gukesh’s achievement as an Indian victory. “Gukesh is a Telugu or Tamil guy... isse farak padta hai (what difference does this make) ... He won a medal for India,” another user wrote.
Keeping the debate aside, Gukesh has become World Chess Champion; he followed the footsteps of Viswanathan Anand, the first Indian to claim the title, and became the second Indian to do so since 2012.
Gukesh has received warm wishes from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu and the Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi.
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