'The boy who would be King': Anand’s tribute to Gukesh after historic win

Singapore: Former five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand was among the first to congratulate recenly crowned world champion D. Gukesh on his remarkable victory. Sharing a photo of himself with a much younger Gukesh, Anand praised the rising star, calling him, "The boy who would be King."

The bond between Gukesh and Anand is well-known, with Gukesh often speaking about the admiration and inspiration he has drawn from the legendary chess player. Gukesh’s goal to win the FIDE World Championship was deeply connected to this vision of following in Anand’s footsteps.

In a post-match interview, Gukesh reflected on a key moment that shaped his journey to the title. He recalled watching Magnus Carlsen’s victory over Anand in the 2013 World Championship in Chennai, which ignited a spark in him to bring the title back to India.

"In 2013, during the Chess World Championship in Chennai, I looked at Vishy Sir and Magnus and thought it would be really cool to be there one day. To actually sit there and see the Indian flag next to me was probably the best moment of my life. When Magnus won, I thought, 'I really want to be the one to bring the title back to India.'" said Gukesh.

Gukesh made history on Thursday by becoming the youngest-ever champion in the sport’s history, defeating China's Ding Liren in the final game of their FIDE World Championship match. 

"Vishy Sir was never officially part of the team, but we all know he was supporting me. He attended one of the training camps and also helped remotely during a few sessions," Gukesh added.