Newly-crowned world chess champion D Gukesh received a rousing welcome upon his return to Chennai on Monday. Hundreds of enthusiastic fans, officials from the Tamil Nadu Government, and representatives from the All India Chess Federation gathered at the airport to celebrate the prodigy’s remarkable achievement.

The 18-year-old Gukesh made history last week in Singapore by defeating China’s Ding Liren 7.5-6.5 in a tense final to clinch the World Chess Championship. With this victory, Gukesh became the youngest-ever world champion, surpassing the longstanding record set by the legendary Garry Kasparov.

Addressing the jubilant crowd, Gukesh expressed his gratitude:
“It’s amazing. Your support gave me a lot of energy. It’s a great feeling to win the world championship,” he said, as media personnel and fans competed for a closer view of the chess sensation.

The atmosphere was electric, with chants of “Gukesh” reverberating through the airport. Fans waved banners, and some wore T-shirts with the chessboard motif, celebrating the young champion’s remarkable success.