Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani on Tuesday celebrated the meteoric rise of Indian chess, hailing 20-year-old Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa for clinching the FIDE Circuit 2025 title and securing a spot in the prestigious 2026 Candidates Tournament. In a heartfelt post on X, Adani described Praggnanandhaa as "world-class", writing, "Heartiest congratulations to Praggnanandhaa for conquering the FIDE Circuit 2025 and sealing his spot in the 2026 Candidates! Your journey inspires a generation." The achievement marks Praggnanandhaa as the sole male Indian representative at the eight-player event, where the winner will challenge reigning World Champion D. Gukesh in the 2026 title match, potentially setting up an all-Indian showdown.

Praggnanandhaa's dominance in the FIDE Circuit—concluded with a score of 115.17 points—was built on a stellar year, including victories at the Wijk Aan Zed Masters, Superbet Chess Classic Romania, UzChess Cup Masters, and London Chess Classic Open. He overtook former World Champion Ding Liren in May and maintained his lead through events like the Tata Steel Masters (his first win there since Viswanathan Anand in 2006) and third place in the Grand Chess Tour Superbet Poland Rapid and Blitz. Despite a challenging FIDE World Cup in Goa, his consistency across 40+ rated games ensured qualification, edging out rivals like Anish Giri (81.18 points) and Nodirbek Abdusattorov.

Adani's praise extended to India's trailblazing women players, spotlighting Divya Deshmukh, Koneru Humpy, and R. Vaishali—who, alongside Praggnanandhaa's sister R. Vaishali, will represent the nation at the Women's Candidates Tournament—for "making history." This historic quartet underscores India's chess revolution, with the country boasting over 85 grandmasters in 2025, up from 30 in 2014. Adani's endorsement aligns with the Adani Group's long-term sponsorship of Praggnanandhaa since January 2024, aimed at fuelling his World Championship ambitions.

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The industrialist reserved special acclaim for coach RB Ramesh, crediting his "masterclass mentorship" for nurturing a generation of champions. "A massive salute also to Coach @Rameshchess, whose guidance continues to shape India's chess legacy," Adani posted, concluding with, "The future of chess is Indian. Go for glory, my champions! The entire nation is rooting for you."

Praggnanandhaa's qualification adds to India's golden era, following Gukesh's 2024 World Championship triumph over Ding Liren at age 18—the youngest ever. As the Chennai prodigy prepares for the Candidates (venue and dates TBD), his story resonates beyond the board, symbolising resilience and excellence amid the sport's exponential growth in the country.

Adani's vocal support, echoed by past praises from figures like Anand Mahindra, highlights corporate backing's role in elevating Indian talent globally, positioning chess as a beacon of national pride and inspiration for youth.

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