Mark of a prodigy

The outstanding run of India’s latest chess sensation, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, was stopped in the World Cup final by none other than the Norwegian stalwart Magnus Carlsen who is arguably the greatest player of the game. This sounds like a pride-filled consolation for the entire nation, but not for the prodigious teenager who has his eyes fixed on the ‘world champion’ title. He is aware that a loss, even against the greatest rival, is a loss afterall. Praggnanandhaa has all reasons to believe so; only last year, he had grabbed headlines by defeating Carlsen three times in a row in shorter versions of the game. The teenager is undeniably capable of taking on any rival in this world, and his defeat against Carlsen should be treated as a defeat. It is an altogether different thing that despite losing to the Norwegian in the stretched final, Praggnanandhaa has proved his mettle on the global stage by outclassing World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura and No. 3 Fabiano Caruana in the earlier stages of the tournament. There is a long road ahead, and the prodigy has marked his arrival and intent. It is very important to note here that his runner-up finish in the World Cup has made him eligible for the Candidates Tournament — the winner of which will take on the reigning world champion Ding Liren of China to claim the title. Becoming a world champion has been a long-cherished aim of Praggnanandhaa, and he is advancing really fast in this direction. He has been nurturing this dream ever since he became the world’s youngest International Master at 10 years, 10 months and 19 days, or perhaps before! It might be interesting to note that Magnus Carlsen has skipped to compete for the ‘world champion’ title due to his dissatisfaction with the format of the competition. The withdrawal of Carlsen has sort of robbed the sheen of the competition itself. Irrespective of that, Praggnanandhaa stands a golden chance. Apart from his personal achievements and ambitions, Praggnanandhaa’s arrival is a good augury for the Indian chess landscape. He is among a bunch of geniuses who have shown promise in carrying forward the legacy of Vishwanathan Anand. D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi and Vidit Gujrathi, among others, have shown that the future of Indian chess is in safe hands. Perhaps, on an optimistic note, one can even safely say that the golden era of Indian chess might be on the cusp of arrival. India currently has 83 Grandmasters, with six players entering the league this year itself. Young players are breaking into the top ranks with remarkable consistency. To top it all, the class that Praggnanandhaa has shown in the World Cup is undeniably a morale booster. But the real question is: has India still managed to create an ecosystem where these youngsters, brimming with capabilities, can unleash their potential at an optimum level? The answer, unfortunately, is in negative. The fact that Praggnanandhaa and some others of his ilk have managed to surmount challenges is testament to their own grit as well as perseverance of their families. They are learnt to have borrowed money, left jobs and braced undue adversities to gift the nation some rare ingenious talents. If their victories and achievements are a matter of national pride, then the state should strive hard to invest in and maintain robust infrastructure, state-of-the-art training facilities, and a nurturing environment for emerging talents. This commitment is essential to ensure that the potential of numerous hidden talents across the nation finds a conducive outlet for growth and development. By doing so, the state can contribute to the blossoming of a new generation of exceptional individuals in the chess landscape. We have for long revelled and found pride in the successes of the likes of Viswanathan Anand, forgetting that his success was by and large based on the pragmatic decision of transcending the borders of India and training abroad in the 1990s. Nothing much has changed today. The emergence of outstanding talents in the country is a clarion call for a change in the status quo. Indians are ready to claim their mastery over the game of chess. Due support is needed. Is it coming?