‘Multi-millionaire tag means a lot, but...’: World Chess Champion Gukesh says he still finds chessboard the ‘coolest toy’ 

The label of “multi-millionaire” certainly carries significance for new world chess champion D Gukesh, but he emphasises that he doesn’t play for material rewards. For him, it’s the pure joy of the game that matters most — a passion that has remained unchanged since childhood, when a chessboard was the “coolest toy”. 

At just 18 years old, the Chennai-based Gukesh has earned Rs 11.45 crore in prize money from FIDE after his victory over China’s Ding Liren in the final. 

Gukesh’s father, Rajnikanth, sacrificed his career as an ENT surgeon to travel with his son on the chess circuit, while his mother, Padmakumari, a microbiologist, became the family’s primary breadwinner. 

When asked about the significance of becoming a multi-millionaire, Gukesh shared, “It means a lot. When I first started playing chess, my family had to make tough decisions. My parents faced financial and emotional struggles. Now, things are easier, and they don’t need to worry about those issues,” he told FIDE in an interview.  

However, he quickly clarified, “Personally, money isn’t why I play chess”. 

Gukesh often reflects on his early love for the game. “I’m still the same kid who loves chess. It was the coolest toy”. 

Family holds immense importance for him. His father not only supports him on the chessboard but also manages his off-the-board commitments, allowing Gukesh to focus solely on the game. Meanwhile, his mother is the emotional and spiritual anchor of the family. “She says she would be happy to know that I’m a great chess player, but she would be even happier to hear that I’m a greater person,” Gukesh added. 

Despite his success, Gukesh maintains a humble perspective on his chess journey. As a student of the game, he feels that the more he learns, the more he realises how much he still has to understand.  

“Even the greatest players make mistakes. Despite technological advances, there’s always more to learn. The more you learn, the more you realise how little you know,” he remarked. “Every time I’m on the chessboard, I learn something new. It’s a process of endless beauty.” 

For Gukesh, the journey is crucial, but having clarity about the destination is equally important. “For example, if I play a beautiful game and lose, I’ll feel sad. But if I win despite not playing my best, I’ll be happy. I focus on the result,” he said. 

Though experts found the final’s games somewhat lackluster, Gukesh doesn’t believe his drive to win is overshadowed by a fear of losing. “My desire to win is stronger than my fear of losing,” he said, adding that he was surprised by Liren’s willingness to settle for a draw in the second game. “I had more freedom to attack because he was defending so tightly. After my poor performance in the first game, I felt like he could have pushed me harder, but it ended up being a comfortable draw.” 

Gukesh wasn’t completely shocked by Liren’s more cautious approach. “It wasn’t a huge surprise. He seemed to prefer the safer options. Maybe he should have taken more risks.” 

Though he claims to have two left feet when it comes to dancing, Gukesh’s spontaneous dance after receiving the Chess Olympiad Trophy went viral. Now, he jokingly fears that his friends won’t let him live it down. “Before, my friends would dance, and I’d stay in the corner. But after the Olympiad win, the mood was high, and I joined in. The video went viral, and now my friends say, ‘You danced there, so now you have to dance with us!’” 

Gukesh also expressed his gratitude to the chef in Singapore for providing him with his favourite comfort food — South Indian delicacies — during the final. “I haven’t had ice cream in a year. Maybe I’ll treat myself to one soon,” he said. 

Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh made history on December 12 by becoming the youngest-ever world chess champion at 18, defeating reigning title-holder Ding Liren in a dramatic final game. This marks the beginning of a new era of chess dominance for India, continuing the remarkable legacy of the legendary Viswanathan Anand. 

At just 18, Gukesh dethroned Garry Kasparov, who had held the record since 1985 when he became the youngest ever world champion at 22. “I’m just living my dream,” said Gukesh, who made history by securing the championship title in a thrilling conclusion to Game 14.