R Praggnanandhaa: India's Chess Prodigy Ascends to World No. 4

In a significant milestone for Indian chess, Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa has emerged as India's top-ranked player following his triumph at the UzChess Cup Masters 2025 this Friday. The young prodigy secured a live rating of 2778.3, propelling him to World No. 4, a career-high ranking.

Praggnanandhaa's remarkable achievement saw him surpass world champion D Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi. Starting the final day trailing local favorites, his critical victory in the last round secured a tie at 5.5 points. A tense series of tiebreaks culminated in a decisive win for the Indian Grandmaster.

This championship marks Praggnanandhaa's third major victory this year, following successes at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament and the Grand Chess Tour Superbet Classic. His accomplishments were lauded by five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand, who celebrated his ascent to the highest-rated player in India.

(With inputs from agencies.)