MUMBAI: Gukesh Dommaraju took a moment to collect his thoughts, as he looked back at a memory from 11 years ago. He recited the details about how he sat in the audience, watching Indian chess legend Viswanathan Anand competing against Magnus Carlsen for the 2013 World Chess Championship title in Chennai.
"When I was in the stands, looking inside the glass box, I thought it would be so cool to be inside one day," Gukesh, the world chess champion, said in the post-match press conference of the 2024 World Championship in Singapore. "When Magnus won, I wanted to be the one to bring back the title to India. This dream that I had more than 10 years ago has been the single most important thing in my life so far...and now that this is not just a dream but reality, it feels I think that 8-year-old kid would be really happy."
On Thursday, Gukesh achieved just that. Beating defending champion Ding Liren in the final game of the contest, the 18-year-old from Chennai became India's second world champion in classical chess, and the youngest-ever to win the coveted crown.
Once Ding resigned, the usually stoic Gukesh burst into tears as the weight of his achievement sank in. "I got emotional because I did not expect to win from that position," he said.
"I thought we will play for five-six hours and it will be a draw. I was already preparing myself to go through the huge tiebreak fight and suddenly I saw the chance. Suddenly it was all over and I achieved my dream."
In April, Gukesh won the Candidates tournament - the gateway to the World Championship match - against all odds. But since then, the teenager has given himself every opportunity to win the title, including teaming up with renowned mental coach Paddy Upton.
The South African had famously worked with the Indian cricket team that went on to win the 2011 ICC World Cup, and recently worked with the Indian men's hockey team that won bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Denne historien er fra December 13, 2024-utgaven av Hindustan Times Punjab.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra December 13, 2024-utgaven av Hindustan Times Punjab.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Oppn skips all-party meeting, stormy session expected
DHARAMSHALA: The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) skipped the all-party meeting called by assembly speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania, a day before the four-day winter session of the Himachal Legislative Assembly is set to commence in Dharamshala on Tuesday.
TRUDEAU CLINGS ON AS CALLS TO QUIT RISE AFTER DY'S RESIGNATION
Hours after the shock resignation of his second-in-command, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was barely clinging on to power even as over a third of the ruling Liberal Party's MPs called for a change in leadership.
Punjab farmers to stop trains at 52 places for 3 hours today
Officials say over 20 trains under Ambala Division to be impacted
BJP govts to soon bring UCC in every state: Shah
NEW DELHI: The Union government on Tuesday introduced in the Lok Sabha two bills aimed at ushering in simultaneous state and national elections amid loud protests by the Opposition taking the first step towards implementing sweeping changes in the way polls are conducted in the world's largest democracy.
10 victims from Punjab
Of the 11 Indian nationals who died of \"carbon monoxide poisoning\" in an Indian restaurant in a mountain resort in Georgia, 10 hailed from Punjab.
BILL TO TEST GOVT'S ABILITY TO MUSTER UP TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY
The NDA government's ambitious plan for simultaneous national and state polls could be a test of its ability to muster the requisite numbers as it doesn't have a two-thirds majority needed to push through a Constitution amendment under Article 368 in the Lok Sabha.
China building villages near Doklam in Bhutan: Sat data
NEW DELHI: China has built at least 22 villages and settlements over the past eight years within territory that has traditionally been part of Bhutan, with eight villages coming up in areas in proximity to the strategic Doklam plateau since 2020, according to satellite imagery.
'Like Tendulkar is for cricket, Zakir Hussain was for classical music'
As the world of Indian classical music mourns Ustad Zakir Hussain, who died on December 15, few feel the loss as deeply as musician Aditya Kalyanpur.
When Chay flew to Mumbai
Following their wedding on December 4, actor-couple Naga Chaitanya and Sobhita Dhulipala have opened up about their relationship for the first time.
Grit in the tail frustrates the hosts, India avoid follow-on
Like in 2021, there was defiance in the damp air of Gabba as Deep and Bumrah steer India towards a likely draw on Day 4
