Chennai’s D Gukesh on Tuesday achieved a rare feat of becoming the second youngest Grand master in the world at the age of 12 years, 7 months and 17 days.
He conquered his third and final GM norm at the ongoing 17th Delhi International Open Chess tournament in Delhi by defeating compatriot DK Sharma in the ninth round and rewrote the mark set by his state-mate R Praggnanandhaa in June last year.
India’s 59th Grandmaster, Gukesh is second only to Ukraine’s Sergey Karjakin who remains the world’s youngest-ever GM, having achieved this feat at the tender age of 12 years and seven months in 2002.
“I am very happy and excited to become a Grandmaster. I am delighted to have won the third norm and the title. I would like to play Anand sir one time’, the youngster who idolizes the legendary Bobby Fisher and India’s own Vishy Anand told PTI after winning the title.
The son of Rajinikanth and Padma is presently coached by Grandmaster Vishnu Prasad and a seventh standard student of Velammal Vidhyalaya.
Gukesh with a FIDE rating of 2497, revealed that his aim now is to keep improving his game and achieve the Super GM title.
