NEW DELHI: Karaikudi is a small town in Tamil Nadu and also the birthplace of 18-year-old Grandmaster (GM) Pranesh M. With his mother working at an anganwadi, caring for underprivileged children, and his father being an accountant at a textile store, Pranesh never allowed limited resources to become an excuse or a distraction.When he became an International Master (IM) in 2020, his coach, RB Ramesh, took to social media to share: “Till he (Pranesh) became an IM, he didn’t have access to a laptop for his chess preparation. Believe in yourself, and fate will lift you up.”
Pranesh, however, is too shy to call them limitations at all.“I didn’t worry about what I didn’t have,” the GM tells TimesofIndia.com. “I just thought about what I have: my coach, my parents, my books. Even earlier generations didn’t have laptops, but they still became grandmasters.”
RB Ramesh’s post for Pranesh
With no digital resources or fancy setups, the boy from Karaikudi taught himself from borrowed books, handwritten notes, and old chess magazines. “I just learned from whatever I could find,” he simply puts.
Introduction to chess at 5
Pranesh is one of the record 24 Indians who have qualified for the Chess World Cup in Goa. His journey began, like many childhood legends, in chaos.“When I was five, I was just running around making noise,” he recalls. “So my parents brought home chess and carrom. My brother played first, and I picked it up after him.”From there, things escalated quickly. By 11, he was tying for first place in national championships, and soon after, he began his journey at Chess Gurukul, the academy run by RB Ramesh.“At first, I just wanted to play. But slowly, I began to think deeper about the game. That’s when I started improving,” he says.
The RB Ramesh bond
As it goes, every great player has a mentor who shapes their mind as much as their game. For Pranesh, that person is GM RB Ramesh, one of India’s finest chess coaches.“I went to him when I was 11,” recalls Pranesh, who became India’s 79th GM in 2023. “After that, he got me sponsors, arranged everything, taught me every time I called him. He’s always there for me.”Ramesh, known for mentoring top R Praggnanandhaa, his sister Vaishali, and several of India’s top talents, saw something special early on.Their bond recently caught the eyes of millions when a picture of Ramesh lifting Pranesh in celebration after his Chennai Grandmasters Challenger win went viral.
RB Ramesh’s post after his student won at the Chennai Grand Masters 2025
“He tried so hard to lift me,” laughs Pranesh. “I’m so much heavier now, so it must’ve been difficult for him.”From supporting him every way possible to advocating his hurrahs through his social media posts, Ramesh has been his constant pillar of strength.
Balancing studies and chess
Currently in his second year of B.Sc. Computer Science at SRM University, Pranesh credits his school and college for giving him the flexibility to pursue chess full-time.“In school, they took care of my studies. I only had to attend before exams,” he says.
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“Now in college too, it’s manageable. My focus is always on chess.”
The World Cup pressure
Having earned the qualification through the Asian Individual Championship, Pranesh will represent India at the Chess World Cup 2025, a tournament expected to bring the world’s best under one roof in Goa for the next few weeks.“I’m really proud to have qualified,” he says. “Of course, playing in India adds pressure, but I have to be in a mindset where it doesn’t affect my chess strength.”ALSO READ: As India readies to host Chess World Cup, Nationals witness monkey invasion, power cuts and leaking tentsAs the World Cup returns to Indian soil, he stands as a reminder that brilliance doesn’t always come from the biggest cities or the fanciest setups. Sometimes, it’s born in a small town, from a boy who simply refused to stop learning.