Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa has officially taken the crown as India’s No. 1 chess player after clinching the UzChess Cup Masters title in stunning fashion on Friday. The 19-year-old Grandmaster defeated Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov with the Black pieces in the final round to seal the championship and mark a significant moment in Indian chess history.With this win, Praggnanandhaa’s live rating jumped to 2778.3, elevating him to World No. 4, his highest-ever ranking. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!This result cements his place among the world’s elite and signals a generational shift in Indian chess, as he surpasses the world chess champion D Gukesh in the live classical ratings.This isn’t Pragg’s first time making waves on the global stage. 2025 has proved to be a productive year for the teenager. Earlier, he stunned the chess world by defeating reigning world champion Gukesh at the Tata Steel Masters in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands.ALSO READ: Exclusive | D Gukesh vs Magnus Carlsen not happening in Las Vegas; Freestyle Chess reveals why world champion isn’t playingThursday’s triumph, however, is more definitive and historic. Praggnanandhaa not only won a prestigious international tournament but also confirmed his arrival as the new leader of Indian chess. It’s a symbolic passing of the torch, as he overtakes his peers in a discipline where experience often trumps youth.Pragg’s rise has been marked by maturity beyond his years, a deep understanding of the game, and nerves of steel in pressure moments. As India’s top-ranked player and one of the youngest ever to reach the top 5 globally, he’s not just carrying forward Anand’s legacy; he’s building one of his own.Indian chess now enters a new era, and Praggnanandhaa is at its helm.
