In December 2024, an 18-year-old boy from Chennai, India, made history. Gukesh Dommaraju, widely known as Gukesh D, defeated China’s Ding Liren to become the youngest undisputed World Chess Champion. He broke the long-standing age record previously held by Garry Kasparov.
This article explores his early chess journey, his training methods, his major rivals, the controversies he faces, and the practical lessons parents can learn from his rise to the top.
Early Life and Family Support
Gukesh was born on May 29, 2006, in Chennai, to a middle-class Telugu family. His father, Dr. Rajinikanth, works as an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgeon, and his mother, Dr. Padmakumari, works as a microbiologist.
At age seven, Gukesh officially started taking chess classes three times a week. As he began winning weekend tournaments, his parents made significant lifestyle adjustments to support his growing talent. Dr. Rajinikanth decided to step back from his medical practice to travel with Gukesh to international tournaments. To manage the household finances, Dr. Padmakumari took on extra work shifts to become the primary breadwinner.
Balancing Education and Chess
As Gukesh progressed, regular schooling became difficult to manage alongside international travel. After the fourth or fifth grade, his parents made the tough decision to withdraw him from regular school attendance. His school, Velammal Vidyalaya in Chennai, supported this decision by allowing him to skip daily classes and only attend for his examinations.
Training Methods and Building the Mind
Gukesh’s rapid improvement stems from the specific training rules set by his early coach, Grandmaster Vishnu Prasanna. Dr. Rajinikanth trusted the coach completely and stayed out of all technical chess matters, creating a clear boundary between parenting and coaching.
Coach Prasanna enforced a strict rule during Gukesh’s early years: he banned Gukesh from using chess engines (computer programs that calculate the best moves). Today, most young players use engines to find quick answers. By taking away this tool, the coach forced Gukesh to think independently. Gukesh had to sit in difficult positions and calculate the moves using only his own brain. He only started using chess engines after he reached a very high rating of 2500 Elo. This method built his deep intuition and independent problem-solving skills.
Chess also requires immense emotional stability. To help Gukesh manage stress, his team brought in Paddy Upton, a mental conditioning expert, six months before the World Championship. Upton taught Gukesh to focus on making one good move at a time rather than worrying about the final result. Gukesh also practices yoga and meditation daily. He uses specific breathing exercises during games to keep his heart rate steady and his mind clear when he faces difficult positions.
Famous Rivals
As Gukesh climbed the ranks, he developed important competitive relationships with three specific players.
His most familiar rival is R Praggnanandhaa, another young chess prodigy from Chennai. Praggnanandhaa also broke multiple age records and reached the World Cup final in 2023. The two often compete closely. In early 2025, Praggnanandhaa defeated Gukesh in the tiebreaker round of the Tata Masters tournament, showing that their rivalry continues to push both players to improve.
Gukesh also faces Magnus Carlsen, the highest-rated player in chess history. Gukesh first beat Carlsen in an online rapid tournament in 2022. In a famous moment during the 2025 Norway Chess tournament, Carlsen made a major mistake in the endgame against Gukesh and slammed the table in anger after losing. Carlsen respects Gukesh’s talent but has publicly stated that Gukesh needs to maintain high ratings consistently to prove long-term dominance.
His third major rival is Ding Liren, the Chinese grandmaster he defeated for the world title. Ding struggled with his form leading up to their match, and their rivalry highlighted Gukesh’s ability to stay mentally strong against an experienced opponent.
Winning the World Championship
Gukesh earned the right to challenge for the World Championship by winning the highly competitive Candidates Tournament in April 2024. The World Championship match took place in Singapore in November and December 2024. The rules required the players to compete in a best-of-14 game format.
The match tested Gukesh’s mental toughness immediately. He lost the first game to Ding Liren. Instead of panicking, he stayed calm and won the third game to tie the score. The players drew the next several games until Gukesh won game 11. Ding Liren fought back and won game 12, tying the match once again.
The defining moment came in the 14th and final game. Most experts believed the game would end in a draw. However, Gukesh kept playing and continued to put pressure on Ding Liren. His persistence worked. Ding Liren made a mistake on his 55th move, and three moves later, Gukesh won the game and the World Championship. He secured the title with a final score of 7½ to 6½.
Titles and Milestones
Gukesh achieved his titles at a very rapid pace. The table below outlines the major milestones in his chess career.
| Title / Milestone | Age / Date Achieved | Description of Achievement |
|---|---|---|
| Candidate Master (CM) | 9 years old (2015) | Won the under-nine category at the Asian School Chess Championships. |
| International Master (IM) | 11 years old (March 2018) | Earned his final norm at the Cappelle la Grande Open in France. |
| Grandmaster (GM) | 12 years old (January 2019) | Became the second-youngest grandmaster in history at 12 years, 7 months, and 17 days. |
| Olympiad Gold | 16 years old (2022) | Won an individual gold medal and team bronze at the 44th Chess Olympiad. |
| 2750 Elo Rating | 17 years old (August 2023) | Became the youngest player in history to cross this elite rating mark. |
| India's Top Player | 17 years old (September 2023) | Passed Viswanathan Anand to become the highest-rated player in India. |
| Candidates Winner | 17 years old (April 2024) | Became the youngest player to win the Candidates Tournament. |
| World Chess Champion | 18 years old (December 2024) | Defeated Ding Liren to become the youngest undisputed World Champion. |
| Khel Ratna Award | 18 years old (January 2025) | Received India's highest sporting honor for his 2024 achievements. |
Controversies and Handling Setbacks
Sports journeys always involve difficult periods. Gukesh has faced controversies and professional slumps, and his response to these challenges provides a good example of maturity.
Recently, the chess world experienced a major controversy regarding players cheating using computer programs. Former world champion Vladimir Kramnik accused several players of cheating online. Gukesh spoke out clearly about this issue. He stated that he strongly opposes any unfair play, but he openly criticized Kramnik for making serious accusations against players without solid proof. Gukesh added that people exaggerate the cheating problem, showing his ability to handle industry drama calmly.
Gukesh also faced a difficult drop in his performance after winning the World Championship. During 2025 and early 2026, he struggled to win tournaments. At the 2026 Prague Masters, he lost several games to lower-rated players. This slump led to public criticism. Chess legend Judit Polgar stated in an interview that she doubts Gukesh can hold onto his world title. She suggested his 2024 win relied more on his mental strength and Ding’s mistakes rather than his pure chess skills.
Instead of making excuses, Gukesh took full responsibility. He openly admitted to the media, “I’ve been playing badly here”. He also apologized to his fans for refusing to sign autographs during the tournament, explaining that his poor form put him in a sour mood. To fix his performance, he continues to work closely with his coaching team and relies on his parents for emotional support. This shows that even world champions struggle, and taking accountability is the first step to bouncing back.
Key Lessons for Parents
Gukesh’s story offers several straightforward lessons for parents raising young athletes or students:
First, let the child’s interest guide the process. Gukesh’s parents noticed his curiosity and supported it without creating a grand plan right away. They observed his passion rather than pushing him.
Second, protect the child from adult pressures. Even when the family took out loans and worked extra shifts, the father made sure Gukesh did not feel responsible for their sacrifices. A child performs best when they play for joy, not out of a sense of duty to their parents.
Third, trust the experts. Dr. Rajinikanth stepped back and let Coach Prasanna handle all chess-related decisions. Parents should support their children emotionally but leave the technical training to the coaches.
Finally, prioritize mental health. Chess and academics both cause stress. Teaching a child simple breathing exercises, meditation, or yoga helps them handle pressure and recover from failures calmly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Gukesh started showing interest in a toy chessboard around the age of six. He officially began taking chess classes three times a week when he was seven years old.
He did not completely drop out, but his parents withdrew him from regular daily attendance after the fourth or fifth grade. His school allowed him to skip daily classes so he could travel and practice, requiring him only to attend for exams.
During the early years, his parents took out loans to pay the $25,000 to $30,000 needed each year. His father left his medical practice to travel with him, and his mother worked extra shifts to support the family financially.
His first coach, Vishnu Prasanna, wanted Gukesh to learn how to think for himself. By banning computer engines, Gukesh had to calculate complex moves using his own brain. This built his intuition and independent thinking skills.
Gukesh works with a mental conditioning coach, Paddy Upton. He also practices daily yoga and uses goal-based meditation and breathing exercises to keep his heart rate steady and his mind clear during games.
After winning the title in late 2024, Gukesh experienced a slump in his form during 2025 and 2026. He played poorly at several tournaments, including the 2026 Prague Masters. He publicly admitted his struggles and is working with his team to regain his top form.
