D Gukesh on becoming a millionaire after World Championship triumph: 'Money isn't the reason I play chess'

D Gukesh became richer by US$1.3 million, or Rs 11.45 crore, after becoming the 18th FIDE World Chess Champion following his victory over Ding Liren in Singapore last week. Earning such a huge sum of money does mean a lot for the 18-year-old, whose parents had to make multiple sacrifices in order to support their son’s dream of becoming a chess player. His father Rajinikanth had to give up a lucrative career as an ENT surgeon in order to accompany him to tournaments, as a result of which mother Padmakumari , a microbiologist, became the sole bread-winner.

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Gukesh, however, insists he doesn’t play chess for material gains, but for the unbridled joy that he gets from a chess board that used to be the “coolest toy” for him growing up.

“It means a lot. When I got into chess, we (as a family) had to make some hard decisions. My parents had gone through financial and emotional hardships. Now, we are more comfortable and parents don’t need to think about those things,” Gukesh told FIDE in an interview.

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“Personally, money isn’t the reason I play chess. I am still the kid who loves chess. It used to be the coolest toy,” he added.

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Gukesh also spoke on his journey as a chess player in the interview, adding that he continues to learn new things despite his meteoric rise over the last one year – during which the Chennai lad became the top-ranked Indian player , won the Candidates and starred in India's historic Chess Olympiad campaign before the World Championship triumph.

“Even the greatest of players make a lot of mistakes. Even though technology is so advanced, there is still a lot to learn about chess. I strongly believe that the more you learn something, more you realise that you don’t know that thing.

“Whenever I am on the chess board, I feel I learn something new. It’s a process of unlimited beauty,” Gukesh added.