Chennai, December 16
18-year-old champion Gukesh D, who made the country proud by becoming the youngest world chess champion, received a warm welcome from his fans at the Chennai Koumatri Airport on his return home on Monday. He has returned home after winning the championship from Singapore, where he defeated China’s reigning champion Ding Liren in the final of the World Chess Championship. Gukesh became the second Indian to be crowned world champion, following in the footsteps of tennis legend Viswanathan Anand.
At the arrival of the young grandmaster, the enthusiasm of the crowd of his admirers reached the seventh sky. The crowd was cheering loudly and shouting slogans. Many traditional dancers and students of Velammal Vidyalaya were present in large numbers in the crowd. Officials from the Tamil Nadu Sports Development Authority (SDAT) and the All India Chess Federation (AICF) were present to honor Gukesh, who was visibly overwhelmed by the overwhelming reception.
Addressing the media outside the airport, Gukesh said, “I am very happy to be here. I am looking at the support I am getting and realizing what it means for India.… You all are great… You have given me so much energy.”
Gukesh’s victory in Singapore was nothing short of a feat. He defeated Leeren in a tense 14-game match that ended on 12 December. The decisive moment came in game 14, when Leeren made a mistake in the final game, allowing Gukesh to take the title and become the 18th undisputed World Chess Champion in history.
What made Gukesh’s victory even more important was that he became the youngest world chess champion by winning this championship and broke the record of the great player Garry Kasparov in this matter. .
As soon as Gukesh stepped out of the airport, he was greeted with garlands and applause. A specially designed car emblazoned with his photos and the tagline ’18 at 18′ was ready to take him to his residence. SDAT officials presented him with a shawl. On this occasion, the fans held banners celebrating the achievement of this young champion. – IANS
