Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa Becomes India's Top Chess Player After UzChess Cup Victory
Praggnanandhaa's Remarkable Achievement
Zagreb [Croatia], July 1: Indian chess prodigy Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa has ascended to the position of the highest-ranked player in India following his triumph at the UzChess Cup Masters held in Croatia. The 19-year-old grandmaster emphasized that he is not overly concerned with his rating points, preferring to focus on each tournament individually.
In a thrilling final match, Praggnanandhaa overcame local favorite Nodirbek Abdusattorov while playing with the Black pieces. This victory elevated his live rating to 2778.3, surpassing reigning world champion D Gukesh (2776.6) and Arjun Erigaisi (2775.7).
Previously, Erigaisi held the title of the top-ranked Indian player but fell to sixth place after a draw against compatriot Aravindh Chithambaram. Praggnanandhaa now ranks fourth globally, trailing only Magnus Carlsen (2839.2), Hikaru Nakamura (2807.0), and Fabiano Caruana (2784.2), while Gukesh is positioned fifth.
In an interview, Praggnanandhaa reflected on his new status as India's top player, stating, “I became India’s number one by just one point. I don’t think it’s significant. These few points can fluctuate with a single game. For me, winning the tournament was far more meaningful. I prefer to take it one tournament at a time and not dwell on minor rating changes.”
He also received accolades from World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura after being selected by Team Liquid for the upcoming Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Responding to their praise, he remarked, “It feels great, but I don’t believe it will change my approach. I’ll continue doing what I do, but it’s encouraging to receive such feedback. It motivates me to improve and boosts my confidence.”
Praggnanandhaa expressed gratitude for the support from Adani Sportsline, which has been instrumental in his development over the past year. “The Adani group has backed me for the last year. As chess players, we often travel and train extensively, which can be costly. Their support was crucial, especially during my training for the Candidates last year. They stood by me even during tough times, which pushes me to strive harder. I’m truly thankful for their support, and it’s wonderful to see corporations getting involved in chess. It’s beneficial for the sport overall,” he concluded.