Is Gukesh Tamil or Telugu? Social Media War Over Young Chess Champion’s Ancestry – News18

Last Updated:December 13, 2024, 2:40 PM IST

D Gukesh became the world’s youngest chess champion after defeating China’s Ding Liren in a nail-biting final of the World Chess Championships.

D Gukesh scripted history by becoming the world’s youngest world chess champion on Thursday. The 18-year-old Indian Grandmaster scripted a historic victory over China’s Ding Liren in the 14th game of the World Chess Championships.

However, the young champion’s emphatic victory triggered a battle between Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh over his ancestry. Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin kick-started the debate, saying Gukesh’s achievement helped Chennai “reaffirm its place as the global Chess Capital”.

“Your remarkable achievement continues India’s rich chess legacy and helps Chennai reaffirm its place as the global Chess Capital by producing yet another world-class champion. Tamil Nadu is proud of you!” Stalin wrote in a post on X on Saturday.

Soon thereafter, Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu celebrated Gukesh’s achievement, calling him “our very own Telugu boy”. “The entire nation celebrates your incredible achievement. Wishing you many more triumphs and accolades in the decades to come!” said Naidu.

X Users Spar Over Gukesh’s Ancestry

The tweets by Tamil Nadu and Andhra CMs set the stage for a verbal battle online with each side claiming the young chess champion’s ancestry. The arguments soon extended into a broader debate over ethnicity and language, roping in Indian Americans like Kamala Harris and Usha Vance.

Some X users pointed out that Tamil Nadu CM Stalin had provided generous financial support to Gukesh, with one posting a screenshot of an April news report saying the government gifting Rs 75 lakh to the chess star.

Other users took potshots at the other state, challenging them to replicate what their states had done to boost young talent. “Gukesh Dommaraju, a Telugu grandmaster in chess, was backed by the proactive state of Tamil Nadu, which supported his career. Now Telugu states should start replicating what Tamils do to nourish talent,” a user said.

“Gukesh is a Tamilian. Just like i am one. Tamil Nadu’s chess culture, Tamil Nadu’s infra and Tamil Nadu was instrumental in his success. No other state can take credit,” another netizen wrote. “Gukesh was born in chennai and he stated tamilnadu as his state,who are you to say he is Telugu boy,” wrote another individual.

Others disagreed with the claim and said Gukesh’s ancestry belonged to Andhra Pradesh as he was of Telugu heritage despite being born and brought up in Chennai. “State is not equal to ethnicity of language. U r a Telugu from Tamil Nadu, so is Gukesh. Usha Vance is Telugu American,” said one user on X.

“Gukesh credits his Telugu peers, period. Face the truth, Tamil detractors. Language politics can’t help you here,” another netizen echoed a similar sentiment. “Gukesh speaks Telugu at Home. He is ours and we can claim him,” said another individual.

One tweet jokingly claimed that Gukesh was a “proud descendant” of Haryana, as his great-great-grandfather, Dhoomaram Jat, migrated to south India after losing a match to rival Bhimaram Jat. “Heartbroken but determined, Dhoomaram settled in South India, vowing that his future generations would shift from wrestling to mental wrestling—aka chess. He even changed his name from Dhoomaram Jat to Dommaraju to blend in better,” it said.

Who Is D Gukesh?

Gukesh Dommaraju was born in Chennai in 2006 to medical professionals, who were of Telugu heritage. He began learning chess at the age of seven and became a Grandmaster at the age of 12. Last year, he surpassed Vishwanathan Anand in becoming India’s top-ranked chess player.

Gukesh defeated defending champion Ding Liren in a nail-biting final of the World Chess Championships in Singapore with a score of 7.5-6.5 to become the youngest chess champion of the world, surpassing Garry Kasparov’s record, who won the championship at the age of 22.

“I was dreaming this moment for last 10 years. Happy I realised this dream,” an elated Gukesh said after his historic win in Singapore. “I got a bit emotional because I was not expecting to win. But then I got a chance to press on.” His victory is not only a monumental achievement for Indian chess but also a potential game-changer for the sport’s marketability in the country.