NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest world chess champion on Thursday after defeating defending champion, Chinese Ding Liren, in the final match of their series in Singapore.
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Dommaraju, 18 years old, secured 7.5 points compared to his rival's 6.5 to surpass the record of the Russian Garry Kasparov, who won the title at the age of 22.
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The young Indian prodigy has long been considered one of the greatest promises in the world of chess, after becoming a grandmaster at the age of 12. He arrived at the match as the youngest challenger for the world title, after winning the Candidates tournament earlier this year.
Dommaraju burst into tears and raised his arms after securing the victory.
"I have been dreaming of this moment for the past 10 years. I am happy to have achieved my dream and made it a reality," he told reporters after his victory.
Dommaraju became the second Indian player to win the world title, joining the five-time champion Viswanathan Anand.
"It is a moment of pride for chess, a moment of pride for India... and for me, a very personal moment of pride," said Anand, who has been a mentor to Dommaraju, in a post on the social network X.
The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, congratulated the young man for his "outstanding achievement", which he described as "a result of his unparalleled talent, hard work, and unwavering determination".
“His triumph not only leaves his name engraved in the annals of chess history, but it has also inspired millions of young minds to dream big and pursue excellence,” Modi added in X.