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PM Modi congratulated R Praggnanandhaa after the 20-year-old became the first Indian to win Norway Chess, completing a stunning comeback with four straight classical wins.
Indian chess GM R Praggnanandhaa (PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded GM R Praggnanandhaa after the 20-year-old scripted history by becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious Norway Chess title on Friday.
Taking to X, Modi hailed Praggnanandhaa’s achievement as a significant milestone in Indian chess and praised the youngster’s continued excellence on the global stage.
Congratulations to Praggnanandhaa for this remarkable feat!This is indeed an incredible milestone that highlights his continued excellence.
My best wishes to him for his future endeavours. @rpraggnachess https://t.co/ryE0qElL9G
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 6, 2026
“Congratulations to Praggnanandhaa for this remarkable feat! This is indeed an incredible milestone that highlights his continued excellence. My best wishes to him for his future endeavours,” PM Modi wrote.
Praggnanandhaa’s title-winning performance in Stavanger ranks among the finest achievements of his career. The Chennai-born Grandmaster produced a sensational comeback in the second half of the tournament, defeating some of the world’s strongest players to lift one of the most coveted titles in classical chess.
Stunning Comeback Secures Historic Title
Heading into the final round, American Grandmaster Wesley So held a narrow half-point lead and appeared favourite to clinch the title. However, So could only draw his classical game against Alireza Firouzja before winning the Armageddon tie-break, leaving the door open for Praggnanandhaa.
The equation was simple for the Indian star: beat Germany’s Vincent Keymer and the title would be his.
Praggnanandhaa rose to the occasion in style, outplaying Keymer with the white pieces to register his fourth consecutive classical victory and complete a remarkable turnaround.
The win secured his first Norway Chess crown and made him the first Indian player to achieve the feat.
Pragg’s Impressive Outing
What made the achievement even more impressive was the strength of the field. The tournament featured world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, reigning world champion D Gukesh, Wesley So, Alireza Firouzja and Vincent Keymer.
Praggnanandhaa’s title charge included classical victories over Firouzja, Carlsen, Gukesh and Keymer in the space of a week, underlining his growing stature among the world’s elite players.
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