Who is Gukesh Dommaraju?
Gukesh Dommaraju, nicknamed D. Gukesh, is an 18-year-old Indian chess grandmaster. He recently broke history and became the youngest-ever World Chess Champion in 2024. Born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, on May 29, 2006, Gukesh was much later than many of his prodigious peers when he first began playing chess at seven years old. Yet he shot through the ranks.
By the time he was 12 years and 7 months, he was one of the youngest grandmasters in history. By the year 2024, at an age of 18, he won the World Chess Championship with a head-to-head win over China’s Ding Liren in the exciting final match. This success is indeed a testimony of his great mental strength as well as exceptional strategic mind. He firmly positioned himself at the elite chess arena.
Gukesh Dommaraju Career
Gukesh’s journey to the pinnacle of chess is replete with incredible milestones:
Early Success: Gukesh won his first major title at the 2015 Asian School Chess Championships in the Under-9 category. By 2018, he had already claimed the World Youth Chess Championship title in the Under-12 category.
Grandmaster Status: In 2019, he earned his Grandmaster title at just 12 years and 7 months old.
Wins: Gukesh achieved the record for becoming the youngest player to scale a FIDE rating of 2750 in 2023. His performance in the 2024 Candidates Tournament pushed him into the World Chess Championship match.
Gukesh Dommaraju Net Worth
As of 2024, Gukesh’s net worth stands at around ₹20 crore (approximately $2.4 million), a massive jump from his previous net worth of ₹8.26 crore (around $1.5 million). His earnings come from prize money in tournaments, brand endorsements, and his rapidly growing fame in the chess world.
How much prize money did D. Gukesh win?
The total prize pool in the 2024 World Chess Championship was $2.5 million, and the winner of each game received $200,000, which is approximately ₹1.69 crore. Gukesh won three games in the 14-game series, which earned him $600,000, or ₹5.07 crore. He took home a total of $1.35 million, or ₹11.45 crore, from the championship alone after splitting the remaining prize money equally.
This, with the endorsement deals, has tripled his net worth into ₹25 crore (approximately $3 million) and more.
Gukesh Dommaraju Age
Gukesh was born on May 29, 2006. Therefore, Gukesh is 18 years old as of 2024. At this tender age, he has done what many players only aspire for in their entire career. He shares his birthday with the Gemini zodiac sign.
Gukesh Dommaraju Family: Parents
Gukesh is from an educated family. His father, Dr. Rajnikanth, is an ENT surgeon and his mother, Padma, is a microbiologist. They have always been great support for Gukesh. In fact, his father even quit medical practice to look after Gukesh’s tournaments and media interactions. Gukesh has a brother, Rameshbabu Vaishali, who is 22 years old and had always been supportive of his chess journey.
Gukesh Dommaraju Height and Weight
At 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 meters) tall and weighing around 58 kg, Gukesh maintains a healthy and balanced physique. His black hair and eyes are as sharp as his moves on the chessboard.
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