Episode Details

When 18-year-old Dommaraju Gukesh returned to Chennai as the youngest world chess champion in history, the celebration felt like more than a sporting triumph. His victory over China’s Ding Liren—the first all-Asian world championship final—marked a generational shift in a game long dominated by Europe and Russia. In this episode, we explore how Gukesh’s rapid rise, powered by relentless training and family sacrifice, reflects India’s growing confidence on the global stage. As grandmasters multiply, political leaders cheer from the sidelines, and sponsors take notice, the story asks whether this breakthrough could help turn chess into a mass aspiration in India—one where intellectual excellence carries the same prestige as athletic stardom.

https://www.economist.com/asia/2024/12/19/dommaraju-gukeshs-win-will-accelerate-indias-chess-ambitions