Gukesh is a Tamil or Telugu boy? CMs Stalin, Naidu trigger online debate

After Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh won the World Chess Championship 2024, an online battle has erupted over the 18-year-old history-maker’s heritage with Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh’s Chief Ministers claiming the boy as their own.

On Thursday (December 12), Gukesh became the youngest-ever world chess champions by beating Ding Liren of China in Singapore. He is also only the second Indian after Viswanathan Anand (5 titles) to win the world championship.

Also read: Ding Liren accused of 'deliberately' losing world chess championship to Gukesh

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin congratulated Gukesh on Thursday and said that the state is proud of the chess prodigy. On Friday, Stalin announced Rs 5 crore for the world champion.

“Congratulations to @DGukesh on becoming the youngest-ever World Chess Champion at 18!Your remarkable achievement continues India's rich chess legacy and helps Chennai reaffirm its place as the global Chess Capital by producing yet another world-class champion. Tamil Nadu is proud of you! (sic),” Stalin posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Also read: Gukesh crowned chess world champion: Who said what on historic feat

Minutes later, on the same social media platform, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu termed Gukesh as “Telugu boy” while congratulating him.

“Hearty congratulations to our very own Telugu boy, Indian Grandmaster @DGukesh, on scripting history in Singapore by becoming the world's youngest chess champion at just 18! The entire nation celebrates your incredible achievement. Wishing you many more triumphs and accolades in the decades to come! (sic),” Naidu wrote on X.

Also read: Red-letter day for Indian chess: How Gukesh, inspired by Anand, conquered the world

These two posts triggered an online debate with netizens posting their views. Some claimed Gukesh is a Tamil boy, there were others pointed out Gukesh’s parents’ roots from Telugu region. Also, there were some who asked X users to rise above regionalism and said Gukesh represented India.

Gukesh is of Telugu heritage but was born and raised in Chennai. On previous occasions, he has acknowledged the support he has received from the Tamil Nadu government.

Replying to Stalin's post, Gukesh wrote, "Thanks for all the support and encouragement sir."

Also read: Gukesh after becoming world champion: Happy I realised my 10-year dream

In November, he had thanked Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin for all the support after he received Rs 10 lakh cheque from him. In April, Gukesh was awarded Rs 75 lakh by the state government.

“Gotta appreciate your audacity to even ask this question. This is only one example of what the Tamilnadu government did for gukesh (sic),” a user commented on X.

Another user wrote, “Gukesh is a Tamilian. Just like i am one. Tamil Nadu’s chess culture, Tamil Nadu’s infra and Tamil Nadu was instrumental in his success. No other state can take credit. Not that it matters. He is an indian. But finding his ancestry and caste in some part of the country is funny (sic).”

“State is not equal to ethnicity of language. U r a Telugu from Tamil Nadu, so is Gukesh. Usha Vance is Telugu American,” posted another X user.