R Praggnanandhaa has expressed gratitude for the support he has received throughout his chess career. He specifically mentioned the Adani Group’s backing over the past year, which has enabled him to intensify his training. Praggnanandhaa also noted a meeting with Gautam Adani earlier this year, during which Mr. Adani encouraged him to set a goal for India.

R Praggnanandhaa Thanked Gautam Adani For Constant Support

#WATCH | Delhi: Indian chess grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa says, "There are many people in the journey who have supported me starting with my parents. My current and previous trainers, my first sponsor, Ramco Group and right now the Adani Group have been supporting me for the last… pic.twitter.com/EpWjsT2J8h

— ANI (@ANI) September 28, 2024

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“There are many people in the journey who have supported me starting with my parents. My current and previous trainers, my first sponsor, Ramco Group and right now the Adani Group have been supporting me for the last 1 year to whom I’ve been truly grateful and since then…I needed to train a lot which was made possible by the Adani Group. I also met Gautam Adani at the start of the year and he said that I should get a goal for India this year. I am truly grateful to Gautam Adani sir for his support….”

Also Read: India Secures Historic Gold At 45th Chess Olympiad In Budapest, D Gukesh Leads the Way

R Praggnanandhaa’s Historic Win

On September 22, the Indian men’s and women’s chess teams scripted history by winning their first-ever gold medal in the 2024 FIDE Chess Olympiad in Hungary. 

According to Praggnanandhaa, this win is historic since it is not that normal for a country to achieve winning the gold medals in both mens and womens category simultaneously. “This achievement will make chess popular among a much wider audience in India,” he said.

R Praggnanandhaa Wins Gold For India

“This is a very historic achievement and there are very few teams who have won both medals at the same time and we are winning for the first time. This is a very proud moment for all of us… I think this win will take chess to more people,” he said. 

Also Read: Viswanathan Anand: Chess Legend and Inspiration

Although this is the first time ever gold was taken by India in the Olympiad, it is worth mentioning that the mens’ team had shared a medal with Russia earlier during an online Olympiad that was conducted during COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to this, it was after beating Russia that the women’s team could achieve a bronze medal at the Chennai Olympiad in the year 2022.