GMPraggnanandhaa R

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa grew up in Chennai, where his older sister Vaishali's chess lessons introduced him to the game. Their parents had initially enrolled her to encourage an activity beyond watching television. Both children trained with R.B. Ramesh at Chess Gurukul. Their mother, Nagalakshmi, accompanied them to tournaments, while their father, Rameshbabu, worked in banking. Sponsorship helped make the travel required for an international chess career possible. Praggnanandhaa won the world under-8 championship in 2013 and the under-10 title in 2015. At ten, he became the youngest international master of his time. He completed his grandmaster requirements in Italy in 2018, aged twelve.

In 2019, he won the world under-18 championship. His 2023 World Cup run included victories over Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana. He reached the final before losing to Magnus Carlsen in rapid tiebreaks. That result qualified him for the 2024 Candidates Tournament. Vaishali qualified for the women's event, making them the first brother and sister to reach the Candidates in the same cycle. Praggnanandhaa helped India win its first open Olympiad gold in 2024. He won the 2025 FIDE Circuit, earning another Candidates place. Outside chess, he enjoys table tennis and following cricket.