Five-time World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand celebrated D. Gukesh's historic World Chess Championship win with a nostalgic social media post, sharing an old newspaper cutting and recalling their first meeting. On Wednesday, Gukesh defeated Ding Liren in a gripping final to become only the second Indian, after Anand, to claim the coveted title. 

A member of the first batch of the WestBridge Anand Chess Academy, founded by Anand, Gukesh’s success highlights the academy’s role in shaping young chess prodigies.

"Can You Spot Two World Champions?The first time I noticed Gukesh was here, the quieter one, always absorbing the class with remarkable focus. And then there was Pragg, by far the most restless kid, bursting with energy, who couldn't stop blurting out the answers. I remember Rakshita Ravi being there too. In the far end, is that Leon? Perhaps the seeds of WACA were sown here," Anand captioned the post.

While the newest World Chess Champion is never forgetting his senior. He remembered Carlsen's win against Anand, and he recalled that from the moment he set his determination to bring the title back to India.

He stated, “When Magnus won, I thought, I really want to be the one to bring back the title to India. This dream that I had for more than 10 years ago has been the single most important thing in my life so far.”

The match against Ding Liren was a nail-biter, with both tied at 6.5 points heading into the final game. In Game 14, Gukesh's calm strategy under pressure proved decisive. Ding, playing white, seemed poised for a draw but faltered on the 53rd move. Gukesh capitalised on the mistake with a steady pawn advantage, clinching a stunning victory.