OSLO : Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa described his victory at the prestigious Norway Chess as one of the defining moments of his career after becoming the first Indian player to win the title and defeating world number one Magnus Carlsen twice during the tournament.
The 20-year-old finished on 18 points to claim the title in Oslo, capping a remarkable campaign against one of the strongest fields in world chess.
“Defeating Magnus Carlsen is always a massive deal for me,” Praggnanandhaa said in an interview. “I had always wanted to win a tournament in which Magnus was also playing. Beating him in the tournament gave me a huge confidence boost, which helped me immensely as the event progressed.”
“I am incredibly happy to have won this tournament. Winning here is a milestone for me.”
Praggnanandhaa said there had been no dramatic changes to his preparation despite a challenging previous year. Arriving in Norway directly after competing in Bucharest, he credited his coaches and support staff for helping him stay focused.
“My team and my coaches worked meticulously on the finer details. We analysed our opponents thoroughly. My team and I simply trusted a set process and stuck to it,” he said.
Asked about a light-hearted exchange with coach Vaibhav Suri, Praggnanandhaa joked that internet searches for his coach often surfaced teenage cricket sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi instead.
“He plays with immense confidence and is a fantastic player,” Praggnanandhaa said of the young cricketer, recalling watching his IPL debut.
The Grandmaster paid tribute to his family and support network, including his sister, fellow Grandmaster Vaishali Rameshbabu, long-time coach R. B. Ramesh, and his wider team.
He also thanked Gautam Adani for backing his career.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to my family. When there is an athlete in the family, parents have to make countless sacrifices,” he said.
Praggnanandhaa said the current crop of Indian players, which includes reigning world champion D. Gukesh and Grandmaster Divya Deshmukh, represented a golden era for Indian chess.
“This is indeed our Golden Generation,” he said, pointing to India’s gold-medal success at the Chess Olympiad and the influence of former world champion Viswanathan Anand in mentoring young talent.
Despite the magnitude of his achievement, Praggnanandhaa said celebrations would have to wait.
“To be completely honest, I haven’t even had the chance to get a proper night’s sleep yet,” he said. “Right now, I just want to go home and sleep. Once I get some rest, I will celebrate.”
Looking ahead, he said his ambition was straightforward: “My goal is to continue winning these major tournaments consistently.”
