New Delhi: In a country where the shadow of Magnus Carlsen looms over every square of the chessboard, Ramesh Babu Praganandha stepped into Norway Chess 2026 and did what no Indian had done before. Lifting the title in the World No. 1’s own backyard.The 20-year-old from Chennai started the second half of the event at the bottom of the Open category standings, only to make a brilliant comeback that included two classic victories over Carlsen, a win over reigning world champion Domaraju Gokesh and a classic final-round victory over Germany’s No. 1 Vincent Kemmer. As fellow title contenders Wesley Xu and Alireza Feroza shared points on the neighboring board on Friday, the Norwegian chess crown found a new home in India, with Praganandha becoming the first Indian champion in the tournament’s history. In an exclusive chat with TimesofIndia.com, the Indian grandmaster spoke about his victory in defeating five-time world champion Carlsen twice in classical chess, the role of his family and support team, lessons from recent failures, and much more. Quotations.
Q. Hello, Prague. First of all congratulations on your win. Can you tell us if winning Norway Chess feels different from winning other classical tournaments, eg Wajak on Zee?Yes, winning this tournament feels extra special for various reasons. Being in last place after Round 6, half the tournament done, and then coming back like this, is not something that happens very often. And also beating Magnus (twice) in the meantime, and winning the tournament before Magnus is something I’ve always wanted. So, I think all these things make this tournament very special. And yes, it will definitely be at the top of my conquests, and yes, it will always be a special memory.Question How was the reaction from home?My parents are definitely very happy. After returning to the room, I spoke to them. The last 10 months have not gone my way, so they are also happy that I managed to achieve this after some time. And yes, they were quite happy.
Q. You were there when Vaishali won the women’s competition. Candidate. Did his win change anything in you, in terms of mentality or desire?Yes, I would say that my sister winning in Candidates definitely helped me win my tournament in Candidates. I was a little worried after my tournament, but to see that she won, it made me happy, and I was very proud of her. It definitely inspires you when you have someone like that in your home, so I’m very happy for her.Q. Can you tell us something about the Grandmaster? Vaibhav Suri? What is he like as a mentor both on and off the board?Web I have a second and a good friend. I think when you’re in a tournament, you should have someone who not only helps you get started and stuff, but also someone you’re comfortable talking to after a good game or a bad game. And Vaibhav suits the role very well. He’s great at what he does, but as a person, he’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. So yeah, I’m really happy to have him on the team and thankful for all the hard work he’s put in over the last year since we started working together.
But not only that, there are other seconds too. RB Ramesh Sir, who has always been by my side through highs and lows. So, without trainers, it would not be possible to be where I am.Q. Since mid-2025, your results have been somewhat mixed. Was there a time during this period when you felt particularly frustrated or discouraged? If yes, how did you overcome this frustration?In late 2025 and (early) 2026 I did not have good results. Of course there were fewer periods, but I felt that after Wijk on Zee this year, my play was improving.Even in candidates, I felt that my brain was working fine, but some results were not showing up. But yeah, I felt this tournament, and the last one, that I was much more in control of what I was doing. I felt like I was getting back to playing good quality chess.But certainly, between September 2025 and the candidates, I have not been at my best. I had some bad results, but these things happen, and as a player, you tend to deal with them. You have to overcome these periods, and I am grateful for all the support that people around me gave. People around me always believed in me. My family, my trainers, my sponsors, they have always supported me.Q. Can you clarify if the points you get in Norwegian chess will count in the FIDE circuit? Also, what are your plans and goals for the next candidate cycle?Yes, this tournament will count in the FIDE circuit. I remember it was not counted in 2024, but the FIDE circuit was new then, so there were still many changes to be made. But this tournament now counts towards the FIDE circuit.I don’t want to think about that right now (next 2026-2028 candidate cycle). I just want to have fun, play and enjoy chess. But it is good that I am on the FIDE circuit board. More than that, I’m happy to win just one tournament.Like I said, I don’t really want to think about candidates beforehand. I just finished the last cycle, and I was just focused on candidates for about two years. I don’t want to spend another two years thinking about another cycle. I think it would be too much for me. I just want to enjoy chess, have fun with the game, and if I play well, I’ll make it. So I just want to enjoy chess, do my best and play well in all the tournaments I play.
Question How will you celebrate this victory after returning to India? Do you have something special in mind?I don’t have anything special to do after returning home. I will try to rest as much as possible. I will be playing in the FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship for Chess Gurukal and Ramesh Sir in the next 10 days. Like I said, I want to give my best in every tournament, so I want to be well rested for that. But I’m guessing there will be a small celebration with the family. I don’t have any plans, but just being with the family would be a celebration already.Q. Finally, any words for the support you have received from your sponsors?As I said, I am really grateful for the support from the Adani Group. They have always been there through my lack. They never asked me why something was happening or questioned me about the results. They have always supported me, and even if there is a small problem, they are always ready to support me and help me solve it.It feels like a family because it’s been two and a half years already, and we feel so close. I personally want to thank Gautam Adani sir. I met him last year and had a chance to have breakfast with him. It is truly a privilege to meet him every time and get his blessings. So I’m really grateful for that. I think it’s very important for athletes to have that kind of corporate support, and I’m glad I’m getting it and forever grateful for it.
