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‘To Beard the Lion in His Den’: Anand Mahindra, Gautam Adani React as R Praggnanandhaa Creates History at Norway Chess 2026

By Samira Vishwas

Norway Chess 2026: After a powerful late charge in Oslo, R Praggnanandhaa of India became the first Indian to win the coveted Norway Chess title, adding another historic accomplishment to Indian chess. The 20-year-old Grandmaster completed one of the most remarkable comeback runs in the tournament’s history by defeating Vincent Keymer of Germany in the final round to secure the title. World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, current world champion D Gukesh, Alireza Firouzja, Wesley So, and Vincent Keymer were among the elite tournament’s top players, making it one of the most competitive events on the international chess calendar.

Norway Chess: Praggnanandhaa’s late surge helps him create history

The victory over Keymer came on the back of Praggnanandhaa’s wins against Alireza Firouzja, World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and reigning world champion D Gukesh over the previous four days. The tournament also saw Praggnanandhaa complete a rare double over Carlsen.

Gautam Adani, Anand Mahindra, and other famous personalities react

Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani congratulated R Praggnanandhaa on his historic victory at the Norway Chess tournament, praising him for becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious event.

Anand Mahindra, Chairman of the Mahindra Group, reacted to the special achievement of Praggnanandhaa. Mahindra noted how Pragg not only became the first Indian to win Norway Chess but also ended the reign of Magnus Carlsen in his own country. The Indian businessman said in his tweet, “To beard the lion in his den.”

Former Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, also reacted to Pragg’s achievement. Patnaik wished the 20-year-old grandmaster for his future matches.

C. P. Radhakrishnan, the vice-president of India applauded Praggnanandhaa on becoming the first Indian to win Norway Ches.

Garry Kasparov, who held the World Championship for 15 years, also reacted to the victory of Rameshbabu, applauding him for winning Norway Chess.

Norway Chess: Praggnanandhaa finishes with a win

Entering the round half a point behind Wesley So, Praggnanandhaa knew that a win would put him in a strong position to seize the title. Playing with the white pieces against Vincent Keymer, the Indian Grandmaster made full use of his opportunity, converting a crucial victory. The result earned Praggnanandhaa a maximum of three points and took his tally to 18, enough to secure first place in the standings. Wesley So, who had led the tournament heading into the final day, drew his classical game against Alireza Firouzja in a balanced contest. He later prevailed in the Armageddon tiebreak to collect additional points, while Firouzja finished third after a strong campaign in Oslo. After Round 10, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu wins Norway Chess 2026 with 18 points. Wesley So finishes second with 17 points, while Alireza Firouzja takes third place with 15.5 points.

(With Agency Inputs)

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Pragun Mehrotra

Pragun is a passionate cricket follower and writer who deeply loves the game. Having completed his education with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, he has an experience of almost two years in diverse fields. He is known for his statistical and analytical articles. Pragun tries to bring life to his articles by adding a layer of enthusiasm from the perspective of a hardcore fan. Apart from writing cricket articles, he sometimes appears on YouTube videos on a friend’s podcast.

The post ‘To Beard the Lion in His Den’: Anand Mahindra, Gautam Adani React as R Praggnanandhaa Creates History at Norway Chess 2026 appeared first on NewsX.

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