Legendary chess player Susan Polgar recently met Nagalakshmi, the mother of Indian chess prodigies Praggnanandhaa and Vaishali, both of whom have taken the chess world by storm, during the Chess Olympiad in Hungary.
The former world champion could not hide her excitement at meeting Nagalakshmi, referring to her as an ‘Amazing Chess Mom’ and lauding her for the untiring support she extended in shaping the careers of her two children.
“I had to meet this amazing Chess Mom, who devoted her life to raising two super Chess Stars!” Polgár posted on social media platform X, sharing photos with Nagalakshmi, Praggnanandhaa, and Vaishali.
Polgar’s meeting with Nagalakshmi took place on the sidelines of the recently-concluded Chess Olympiad. India scripted history by winning gold medals in both the Open and Women’s sections in Budapest, the home of the renowned Polgar sisters.
Polgár praised Nagalakshmi for her tireless efforts in nurturing her children’s chess careers, providing them with the necessary resources and encouragement to reach their full potential.
The brother-sister duo from Chennai has been making waves in the chess world, becoming the first siblings to both achieve Grandmaster titles and qualify for the Candidates Tournament.
There was double joy for Nagalakshmi on September 22 as both her children won gold medals in the most prestigious biennial team chess event in the world.
While GM Praggnanandhaa was an integral part of the men’s team, his elder sister Vaishali also played a key role in the women’s title triumph.
Both Praggnanandhaa and Vaishali have spoken at length about their mother’s support in helping them adjust to tough conditions, especially in overseas tournaments. The chess stars’ father, Rameshbabu, works as a branch manager at a bank in Chennai.
Polgár celebrated the extraordinary achievements of the brother-sister duo, hailing them as ‘the greatest in chess history’.
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