Chennai: Indian prodigy R Praggnanandhaa, who made history by clinching the silver medal in the 2023 FIDE World Cup and entered the FIDE Candidates tournament, was accorded a rousing reception upon his arrival at the airport here on Wednesday.
The officials from the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu received him at the airport.
Praggnanandhaa's fans eagerly waited at the exit gate and presented him a crown of flowers, a shawl and bouquets. Flowers were strewn on his path as he stepped out and artists performed Karagattam and Oyilattam, folk dances of Tamil Nadu, on the occasion.
The teenager took his time watching the mediapersons swarm on either side of the vehicle into which he got into, and reacted: "I am very happy over the reception."
He accepted the tricolour offered to him and waved it. His mother Nagalakshmi too expressed glee over the grand reception accorded to her 18-year-old son.
The Indian Grandmaster's dream run in the FIDE World Cup ended at the hands of Norwegian Magnus Carlsen, who beat him 1.5-0.5 in the tie-break at Baku, Azerbaijan, last Thursday after the classical games ended in a stalemate.
Praggnanandhaa has an elder sister R Vaishali, who is a two-time youth chess champion.
His father Rameshbabu, a manager at the TNSC Bank, and mother have been great source of inspiration to Praggnanandhaa.
