Anand Mahindra, chairman of the Mahindra Group, praised R Praggnanandhaa on Saturday following the young grandmaster's historic victory at the prestigious Norway Chess tournament, calling it an example of courage and a challenger mindset.
Taking to X, Mahindra compared Praggnanandhaa's achievement to entering a lion's territory and emerging victorious.
"To beard the lion in his den," Mahindra wrote. "The dictionary defines it as boldly confronting a powerful rival on their own turf."
Referring to world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, who has long dominated the tournament, Mahindra added, "For years, Norway Chess has been Magnus Carlsen's den. His turf. His domain."
"So I woke up to this news and my jaw dropped. You didn't just win a title, @rpraggnachess. You walked into the lion's den and emerged victorious."
Mahindra said the victory was significant not just because of the trophy but because of the spirit behind it. "This title is important. Not because of the trophy, but because of your challenger spirit. And that's something all of us can learn from."
A Historic First For Indian Chess
The 20-year-old Chennai grandmaster created history by becoming the first Indian player to win the Norway Chess title since the tournament was launched in 2013.
The achievement is particularly notable because several Indian stars, including chess legend Viswanathan Anand and reigning world champion D Gukesh, had previously competed in the event without lifting the trophy.
Praggnanandhaa secured the title after defeating Germany's Vincent Keymer in the final round. Entering the last day in third place with 15 points, he knew a classical victory would give him a chance at the title.
ALSO READ: Praggnanandhaa Scripts History, Becomes First Indian To Win Norway Chess Title
From Slow Start To Champion
Playing in Norway Chess for only the second time, Praggnanandhaa had a slow start but improved as the tournament progressed.
One of the highlights of Praggnanandhaa's campaign was beating seven-time Norway Chess champion Magnus Carlsen twice in classical games, helping him bounce back from a disappointing Candidates Tournament earlier this year.
The final-round win over Keymer lifted him to 18 points and secured the title, finishing one point ahead of Wesley So, who ended on 17 despite winning his Armageddon tie-break against Alireza Firouzja. Firouzja ended third with 15.5 points.
For Praggnanandhaa, however, the tournament marked a defining moment in his young career as he became the first Indian to conquer an event long associated with Carlsen's dominance.
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