Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy congratulated Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandha for winning the 2026 Grand Chess Tour (GCT) Finals in St. Louis, USA. Calling it a proud moment for the entire nation, the Chief Minister praised the young chess sensation for his historic comeback against world number two Fabiano Caruana and noted that his dedication serves as a major inspiration for India’s youth and aspiring athletes.

Telangana Chief Minister Anumula Revanth Reddy extended his heartfelt congratulations to Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandha following his Grand Chess Tour (GCT) final victory in St. Louis, USA. According to an official statement from the Telangana CMO, CM Revanth stated that “it is a proud moment for every citizen” and applauded the young Grandmaster for putting India’s chess brilliance on full display on the global stage. He added that Praggnanandha’s discipline and grit will inspire countless young sports enthusiasts across the country and wished him continued success in upcoming international tournaments.

Praggnanandha overcomes 3-9 deficit against Fabiano:

Praggnanandha overcame a daunting 3–9 deficit against American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana following the two classical games in the finals. On the final day of play, the 21-year-old Indian turned the tide by winning both rapid games back-to-back, securing 8 points to take an 11–9 lead. Across the four blitz games, Caruana won one and drew one to tie the score briefly at 12–12. However, Praggnanandha won the third blitz game and drew the fourth game via threefold repetition to seal a 15–13 overall match victory, securing his first Grand Chess Tour title and a $200,000 top prize.

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Praggnanandha became the first Indian player in history to win the prestigious Grand Chess Tour. His performance across the six GCT circuit stops—including a victory at the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz and a top finish at the Sinquefield Cup—earned him the highest overall points to qualify for the 4-player Finals alongside Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So, and Vincent Keymer. The title caps off an impressive 2026 campaign that also included a tournament victory at Norway Chess.