Indian chess king Gukesh returns to hero's welcome: Video
India’s chess star Gukesh Dommaraju returned to a huge celebration in Chennai after becoming the youngest world chess champion at just 18 years old.
Hundreds of fans greeted him at the airport with cheers, placards, and flower garlands. Gukesh held his trophy proudly and said it was special to bring the title back to India.
Gukesh beat China’s Ding Liren last week in Singapore during an intense final match.
His victory has made him a national hero in a country where cricket usually dominates. Many young fans at the airport said his win had inspired them to dream of pursuing chess as a career.
Gukesh is the second Indian to win the chess world title, after Viswanathan Anand. His achievement has earned praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who called it "remarkable" and said it will inspire millions of young people. Gukesh is set to meet Tamil Nadu leaders and the prime minister later this month.
