The 18-year-old boy from Chennai is a revered Indian chess prodigy and grandmaster who won hearts with his brilliant performances from a very young age. Currently, he is the number one chess player in India and ranks at number 13 in the world, according to the records of the International Chess Federation. In January 2024, he defeated world champion Ding Liren (China) at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament and surpassed his predecessor, Viswanathan Anand. Praggnanandha is a student at Velammal Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Chennai.