Tamil Or Telugu? CM Stalin, Chandrababu Naidu Sparks Debate Over Chess Champ Gukesh's Roots

Chennai: Gukesh Dommaraju's historic win in the World Chess Championship on Thursday, which made him the youngest-ever undisputed world chess champion at just 18, has sparked a debate between two southern sates- Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu- with both states' chief ministers are asserting ancestral ties to the chess champion.

As news of Gukesh's remarkable achievement spread, the celebration errupted with spirited contest between the two states, each eager to claim the young champion as their own.  

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin posted on X, saying Gukesh's "remarkable achievement, helps Chennai reaffirm its place as the global Chess Capital by producing yet another champion".

"Tamil Nadu is proud of you," Mr Stalin added further, sharing a photograph of himself placing a gold medal around the young champion's neck.

Just after CM Stalin's post, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu tweeted, "Hearty congratulations to our very own Telugu boy. The entire nation celebrates your incredible achievement. Wishing you many more triumphs and accolades in the decades to come"

X Users Clash Over Gukesh’s Heritage

An intense debate has erupted online over the origins and ancestry of chess prodigy. What began as a discussion about his roots quickly escalated into a broader discourse on ethnicity, language, and the intertwined history of the southern states. 

Some users highlighted Tamil Nadu’s significant financial support for the young chess grandmaster. A screenshot shared by one user referenced an April news report stating that the Tamil Nadu government had awarded Gukesh ₹75 lakh to support his career.

“Gukesh Dommaraju, a Telugu grandmaster in chess, was backed by the proactive state of Tamil Nadu. Telugu states should take inspiration from how Tamil Nadu nurtures talent,” commented a user named Uravanna.

The debate intensified when another user responded to a claim labeling Gukesh as a Tamilian. “A state doesn’t define ethnicity or language. You are a Telugu from Tamil Nadu, and so is Gukesh,” the user argued, also drawing parallels to Usha Vance, the incoming Second Lady of the United States, who is of Telugu heritage but an American citizen.