D Gukesh Says Viswanathan Anand ‘Has Been An Inspiration Right From The Start’: Exclusive – News18

Last Updated:December 18, 2024, 23:14 IST

D Gukesh said the former five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand inspired him.

D Gukesh became the youngest-ever classical chess world champion and credited his success to Viswanathan Anand.

Speaking exclusively to CNN-News18, Gukesh Dommaraju said the former five-time world chess champion or ‘Vishi Sir’, as he calls him, is who inspired him.

“Vishi Sir, right from the start he has been an inspirational role model for me. There was this world championship match in 13 in Chennai between Vishi sir and Magnus (Carlsen). And I went there live one day to watch the game, to see them inside the glass box playing the match and I thought how cool it would be there to be there one day. And once Magnus won the title, I thought it should, it should be me who brings, brings the title back home,” D Gukesh told CNN-News18 in an exclusive.

“Throughout the years, Vishi sir has been not only an inspiration and a role model, but also he took it upon himself to like make chess what it is in India and help the youngsters, the next generation to take their chess forward. He created, together with Westbridge Capital, Westbridge Analysis Academy and he invited me to be a part of the Academy. I learned a lot through the Academy. Obviously, my work with Kayevsky, my trainer, started with the Academy’s help of Vicious and W Bridge. And he’s always been there to talk, to analyse chess. And he has given me and a lot of youngsters, a lot of time and energy to make chess what it is. And we are all indebted to Vishi sir in a huge way.

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When asked about All India Chess Federation’s contribution, Gukesh said: “Federation also helped you for sure, All India Chess Federation they’ve they’ve also done a lot, you know, we, it was I think also a great moment and it was also a nice fitting, fitting moment where in the Olympiad India when 2 gold meds. It shows the kind of support that the government and the federation have given to chess and the chess players. It’s yeah, the whole community for chess in India, it is unbelievable.”