The rhythmic beating of drums echoed through the air as Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, lovingly known as "Pragg," touched down on home soil, embraced by a sea of supporters who had gathered to celebrate his awe-inspiring journey.
At a mere 18 years of age, this chess virtuoso had danced with destiny, locking horns with none other than the international chess titan Magnus Carlsen in the World Cup final.
Chennai, nestled in the southern embrace of India, erupted in jubilation as media outlets vied for a glimpse of the prodigy.
The cheers and flashing cameras painted a vivid tableau of the euphoria that enveloped the city.
"Pragg" had ventured where few had dared before – he became the youngest contender to grace a chess World Cup final, a fierce battleground of intellect and strategy held in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku.
However, the final chapters of this saga bore the signature of a nail-biting tiebreak against the formidable Carlsen at the International Chess Federation (FIDE) grand finale.
Chess legend Garry Kasparov himself hailed Pragg's tenacity in navigating the stormy seas of complex positions.
Returning to his homeland, Pragg was met with a scene that even dreams might find hard to replicate.
Scores of ardent well-wishers enveloped him, bearing bouquets of flowers and sweet confections.
As he emerged from the airport, a symbol of his journey's triumphant end, the young champion stood in a car's sunroof, draped in a regal purple and gold scarf, and shyly waved to the sea of admirers.
Such fervor and adulation are typically reserved for cricket luminaries in India.
Behind Pragg's success is his mother Nagalakshmi who has been the secret ingredient in his triumphs.
She stands beside him in tournaments, armed with pots of southern Indian seasonings, concocting his favorite meal of rice and the fiery embrace of rasam or sambhar soup.
S. Thiagarajan, his first coach who started molding him at a tender age, reminisced about a bright and spirited child who diligently embraced the art of chess.
"He was always a bright student and a jovial child," Thiagarajan said.
From 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., young Pragg would immerse himself in the academy, his determination igniting even the most challenging of tasks.
In 2018 Pragg became the world's second-youngest grandmaster at the age of 12 years, 10 months, and 13 days.
Chess, a game that traces its lineage back centuries, has found a fertile ground in India, ignited by the legendary Vishwanathan Anand's ascendancy.
Anand, India's first grandmaster in 1988, illuminated the path that Pragg now treads, carrying forward the torch of excellence.
