Why FM Nirmala Sitharaman mentioned chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa in Interim Budget 2024 speech
"Chess prodigy and our number-one ranked player Praggnanandhaa put up a stiff fight against the reigning World Champion Magnus Carlsson in 2023. Today, India has over 80 chess grandmasters compared to little over 20 in 2010," said FM Nirmala Sitharaman during her Interim Budget 2024 speech.
FollowDuring her presentation of the Interim Budget 2024 in Parliament on Thursday, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman expressed pride in the achievements of the country's youth in sports. She highlighted R Praggnanandhaa, India's top-ranked player, for his formidable challenge against reigning World Champion Magnus Carlsen in 2023. Sitharaman also emphasized the significant growth in India's chess grandmasters, which has surged to over 80 compared to merely 20 in 2010.
"The country is proud of our youth scaling new heights in sports. The highest ever medal tally in Asian Games and Asian Para Games in 2023 reflects a high confidence level," she said.
"Chess prodigy and our number-one ranked player Praggnanandhaa put up a stiff fight against the reigning World Champion Magnus Carlsson in 2023. Today, India has over 80 chess grandmasters compared to little over 20 in 2010," she added.
At the 2024 Tata Steel Chess Tournament held last month, the 18-year-old Praggnanandhaa achieved a remarkable feat by defeating China's Liren with the black pieces, thereby surpassing the legendary Viswanathan Anand to secure the number one ranking in India.
Praggnanandhaa's journey in chess began at the age of 5, leading him to become India's youngest Grandmaster at the age of 12 in 2018, subsequently becoming the world's second-youngest Grandmaster at that time.
Among the youngest individuals ever to attain the Grandmaster title, Praggnanandhaa ranks fifth, following the footsteps of Abhimanyu Mishra, Sergey Karjakin, Gukesh D, and Javokhir Sindarov. Notably, his elder sister R Vaishali also holds the title of Grandmaster, making them the world's first-ever brother-sister duo to achieve this distinction.
After emerging as the runner-up in the 2023 FIDE World Cup, the 18-year-old Praggnanandhaa experienced a notable rise in player rankings, showcasing his remarkable skills despite his eventual loss.
In the realm of sports achievements, India celebrated record-breaking successes in both the Asian Games and the Asian Para Games last year. Indian athletes demonstrated exceptional prowess at the Asian Para Games, securing a total of 111 medals, surpassing the country's previous best of 72 medals in the 2018 event held in Indonesia. Moreover, India concluded their participation in the Para multi-sport event by clinching the fifth position on the medal tally.
At the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, India's performance was equally remarkable, as they amassed a record haul of 107 medals, including 28 gold, 38 silver, and 41 bronze medals.
