Aravindh Chithambaram and V Pranav

CHENNAI: When the Indian cricket team was doing great things in Dubai last week, two Tamil Nadu boys were making waves over 64 squares in different corners of the world.
While 18-year-old V Pranav became the World Junior Chess champion in Petrovac, Montenegro, Aravindh Chithambaram, 25, claimed the prestigious Prague Masters title — his biggest success till date.
For Chennai’s Pranav, the road to the World Junior Chess Championship wasn’t without its share of tough decisions. With his 12th Board exams looming, he had to take a call whether to compete for the Worlds or give priority to his academic career.
His passion prevailed as the teenager opted to skip the Boards this year. “I think I’ll appear for it next year. We actually knew that this tournament was coming a few months ago. So I was kind of prepared to skip my exams. I thought it was much more important to play chess now,” said Pranav, who is studying at the chess hub of Chennai – Velammal Vidyalaya.
Choosing chess over school exams wasn’t easy, but his gamble paid off. And now, his eyes are set firmly on the future. “My ultimate goal is to become the world champion,” said Pranav.
“This year, I have a lot of tournaments planned. I think I may get a spot for the World Cup because usually, the world junior winner gets it. So that tournament is also a big chance for the Candidates, and the Grand Swiss is happening as well. The way I’m playing right now, I think I have a good chance of making it to the Candidates.”
Aravindh’s moment of clarity
Aravindh’s journey to his Prague Masters triumph wasn’t straightforward, but when he finally achieved it, it brought with it a newfound sense of purpose. Despite winning titles earlier in his career, he struggled to maintain consistency and reach the heights many had expected of him.
“It was my decision; I could have come to the limelight long ago. I feel I always had the potential, but I wasn’t ready for it. I don’t know what exactly happened to me, but I was doing something wrong, which has changed now. There are many aspects that have changed, and I cannot pinpoint one. Now I feel like everything has come together, and I can show my full potential,” Aravindh said.
Aravindh’s victory at the Prague Masters saw him come out on top in a highly competitive field, which featured players such as world No. 8 R Praggnanandhaa, Freestyle Chess Weissenhaus champion Vincent Keymer, Anish Giri from the Netherlands, and Chinese Grandmaster Wei Yi, among others.
Madurai-born Aravindh, who claimed the Chennai Grandmasters title late last year, said that his primary focus is now to maintain his current level of play. “I have to either sustain at this level or improve and go up as much as I can, otherwise, people would call it luck. I will try to work hard and hopefully reach 2800.”
Pragg, Gukesh – a motivating factor
Now, both Pranav and Aravindh are focused on sharpening their openings and improving their games. The achievements of peers like Praggnanandhaa and D Gukesh serve as a constant source of motivation, inspiring them to raise their own standards.
“They have achieved a lot, and I think it’s definitely a motivation for me. When Pragg recently won Tata Steel, it pushed me to work harder for the World Championship event,” said Pranav.
Aravindh, who is a close friend of Pragg, added: “I’ve seen them (Pragg and Gukesh) grow up, and they’re all like brothers to me. I’m just very happy for their success. Everyone has his own time, and probably I think it was not the time for me back then.”
Interestingly, both Pranav and Aravindh initially had a love for cricket but ultimately chose chess, a decision that is clearly paying off as they aim to leave their mark in the world of wunderkinds.