Tamil Nadu Chief Minister heaps praise on D Gukesh for becoming India's top-rated chess player in live ratings

Chess player D Gukesh has been receiving congratulations from all across the nation for becoming the top-ranked Indian in the live world rankings by the International Chess Federation (FIDE). MK Stalin, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, also extended his heartfelt wishes to the 17-year-old.

In a remarkable display, Gukesh has ended Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand's reign as India's top chess player in the world rankings. Notably, Viswanathan's stint as the country's top chess player lasted for 37 years.

Stalin, impressed by his performances, took it to Twitter and penned that Gukesh's achievement is an inspiration for the young striving chess players across India. The tweet reads:

"Congratulations Grandmaster Gukesh on your incredible achievement of entering the top 10 of world (FIDE) rankings for the first time. Your determination and skill have propelled you to the top echelon of chess, making you the highest-rated Indian player. Your achievement is an inspiration to young talents everywhere and a proud moment for Tamil Nadu!"

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D Gukesh likely to stay India's top chess player even after a month

There is still a month left until the next official FIDE rating list is revealed on September 1, but India's Gukesh is highly expected to stay among the top 10. It will retain him as the top-ranked Indian chess player in the live rating list.

Earlier, the International Chess Federation wrote on its Twitter handle:

"D Gukesh owon again today and has overcome Viswanathan Anand in live rating! There is still almost a month till next official FIDE rating list on September 1, but it's highly likely that 17-year-old will be making it to top 10 in the world as the highest-rated Indian player."

The player defeated Misratdin Iskandarov in the second round of the World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan. Now, he has a live rating of 2755.9 which propelled him to ninth place, surpassing Anand, who has a score of 2754. Anand has now dropped to 10th place.

D Gukesh's achievement shows the rising interest in chess among India's young crop. It also portrays the player's determination towards the game and the hard work he has put in to attain the highest rank.