Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa has emerged as India’s highest-ranked chess player, reaching World No. 4 in the latest FIDE (International Chess Federation) ratings released on July 1.
The 19-year-old Grandmaster from Chennai overtook Gukesh Dommaraju and Arjun Erigaisi following his title win at the UzChess Cup in Tashkent, capping off a remarkable run that includes victories at the Tata Steel Masters and Superbet Chess Classic earlier this year.
Despite the ranking milestone, Praggnanandhaa remains grounded. “I became India’s No.1 by just one point. It can change with a single game, so I’m not thinking about it too much,” he told reporters. “For me, winning the UzChess Cup meant more. I take things one tournament at a time.”
His strong performance in Tashkent, including a crucial win over Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov, lifted his rating to 2778.3 – just ahead of Gukesh (2776.6) and Erigaisi (2775.7).
The win also extended his lead in the 2025 FIDE Circuit, putting him in a strong position to qualify for the 2026 Candidates Tournament.
Praggnanandhaa credits a shift in mindset for his recent success. “I’ve changed how I approach the game mentally. I’ve become more confident and more resilient in tough situations,” he said.
That attitude was evident in Tashkent, where he bounced back from two consecutive losses to beat Erigaisi and Abdusattorov, eventually winning the event in a dramatic tie-break.
The teenager’s tie-break prowess has been a recurring theme this year. He triumphed in blitz deciders at Tata Steel and the Superbet Classic, defeating top names like Gukesh, Alireza Firouzja and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.
Looking ahead, Praggnanandhaa has a packed schedule, including stops at the Grand Chess Tour in Croatia, Sinquefield Cup in the United States and the Esports World Cup in Riyadh.
He will represent Team Liquid at the latter, joining chess greats Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana. “It’s exciting to see chess included in Esports. I’m looking forward to it,” he said.
He also expressed gratitude to the Adani Group for their continued support. “They stood by me even when I wasn’t winning. Their help with training, travel and camps has been invaluable,” he noted.
