Historic! R Praggnanandhaa clinches UzChess Cup Masters title, becomes India no.1

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa has officially taken the crown as India's No. 1 chess player after clinching the UzChess Cup Masters title in stunning fashion on Friday. The 19-year-old Grandmaster defeated Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov with the Black pieces in the final round to seal the championship and mark a significant moment in Indian chess history.With this win, Praggnanandhaa’s live rating jumped to 2778.3, elevating him to World No. 4, his highest-ever ranking. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!This result cements his place among the world’s elite and signals a generational shift in Indian chess, as he surpasses the world chess champion D Gukesh in the live classical ratings.This isn’t Pragg’s first time making waves on the global stage. 2025 has proved to be a productive year for the teenager. Earlier, he stunned the chess world by defeating reigning world champion Gukesh at the Tata Steel Masters in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands.Thursday’s triumph, however, is more definitive and historic. Praggnanandhaa not only won a prestigious international tournament but also confirmed his arrival as the new leader of Indian chess.

It's a symbolic passing of the torch, as he overtakes his peers in a discipline where experience often trumps youth.

Pragg’s rise has been marked by maturity beyond his years, a deep understanding of the game, and nerves of steel in pressure moments. As India’s top-ranked player and one of the youngest ever to reach the top 5 globally, he’s not just carrying forward Anand’s legacy; he’s building one of his own.Indian chess now enters a new era, and Praggnanandhaa is at its helm.