Ahmedabad, June 6 (IANS) Adani Sportsline’s “Garv Hai” athlete Praggnanandhaa R. scripted history by becoming the first Indian champion at Norway Chess after an outstanding campaign in Oslo, with Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani on Saturday describing the achievement as “one of the ultimate tests of endurance, intellect and temperament in the world of chess”.

The 20-year-old Grandmaster finished ahead of a line-up featuring World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, reigning World Champion Gukesh D, Alireza Firouzja, Wesley So and Vincent Keymer.

Along the way, he defeated Carlsen twice and registered a crucial classical victory over Gukesh, becoming the first Indian to lift one of chess’s most coveted trophies.

Entering the final round in contention for the title, Praggnanandhaa held fellow Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi to a draw before prevailing in the Armageddon tiebreak.

The result, combined with outcomes elsewhere, secured his place at the top of the standings and completed a landmark triumph for Indian chess.

Gautam Adani congratulated Praggnanandhaa on becoming the first Indian to win Norway Chess.

The billionaire industrialist, who recognised Praggnanandhaa’s exceptional promise early in his journey and backed him through the Adani Sportsline’s “Garv Hai” initiative, noted that defeating the world’s best players on one of the sport’s grandest stages was a remarkable feat and praised the young Grandmaster’s fearless, focused and deeply Indian spirit.

The Chairman said Praggnanandhaa represented the confidence of a rising, youthful India and that the entire nation was immensely proud of his achievement.

Pranav Adani, Director, Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL), said that “Praggnanandhaa’s achievement in becoming the first Indian to win Norway Chess, one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world, is a proud moment for Indian chess and Indian sport”.

“We are incredibly proud of him and all that he has achieved in Oslo. He continues to make giant strides for Indian chess and Indian sport, and his journey will inspire countless young boys and girls across the country to take up chess and pursue their dreams with confidence. We wish him continued success in the years ahead,” said Pranav Adani.

Throughout the tournament, Praggnanandhaa displayed remarkable resilience and composure, repeatedly responding to setbacks with decisive performances to stay in contention and ultimately secure the crown.

His victories over Carlsen were particularly significant. Praggnanandhaa joined an elite group of players to have defeated the Norwegian twice in the same tournament and also became one of the few players to have recorded three classical victories over the five-time World Champion.

Adani Sportsline is the sports arm of the diversified Adani Group, which has a presence in ports, logistics, energy, utility, infrastructure, electric power generation and transmission, mining, airport operations, natural gas, and food processing.

–IANS

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