Gukesh Dommaraju – Reigning World Chess Champion in 2026

Gukesh D Biography: Gukesh Dommaraju, aka Gukesh D, became the World Chess Champion in December 2024 at the age of just 18 years and 6 months, defeating Ding Liren – he is the youngest undisputed World Champion to date. A boy from a normal doctor family in Chennai, whose chess journey began at the age of 7, is today bringing glory to the entire country. Now in January 2026, he has a classical rating of 2754 and a world ranking of No. 9 – as the reigning champion, he is going to play in events like the Prague Chess Festival, where the focus is on classical chess.

Gukesh D Personal Life and Family

Born on 29 May 2006 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Gukesh D has been fond of playing chess since childhood. Gukesh D’s full name is originally Gukesh Dommaraju, he is known as Gukesh D in the chess world. Gukesh is his parents’ only son – he has no siblings. His father, Dr. Rajinikanth (ENT surgeon), left his practice so that he could travel with Gukesh to foreign tournaments. His mother, Dr. Padmakumari, is a microbiologist and provided full support from home.

Around 2018, his father stopped practicing so he could accompany him to every tournament, and financial pressure increased at home – loans were also taken out at that time. His mother supported the family through her job as a microbiologist and provided emotional support. Later, when Gukesh became a little more independent, his father resumed practicing – all of this shows his dedication, which still comes through in Gukesh’s interviews.

Name	Gukesh D
Full Name	Gukesh Dommaraju
Nick Name	Gukesh
Birth Date	May 29, 2006
Birth Place	Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Age	19 Year Old
Father Name	Dr. Rajnikanth
Mother Name	Dr. Padma
Siblings Name	N/A
Height	5’7″ (170cm)
Weight	N/A
Profession	Professional Chess Player (IND)
School	Velammal Vidyalaya, Mel Ayyanambakkam Chennai
India Ranking	No. 3
World Ranking	No. 9
FIDE Rating	2754
Nationality	Indian
Zodiac Sign	Gemini
Religion	Hinduism
Marital Status	Unmarried

Gukesh D Education

Gukesh D, who has made India proud, received his schooling from Chennai’s famous group of schools Velammal Vidyalaya, Mel Ayyanambakkam Chennai, although he did not study regularly after class four. Chess grand masters like Karthikeyan, Arvind Chidambaram, Praggnanandhaa have also studied in the same school where Gukesh studied. Velammal School’s chess program was so strong that Gukesh didn’t need to attend regular school after grades 7-8 – he could focus on online coaching and tournaments. He still stays connected with the school and attends events.

Gukesh D Career

Gukesh D has become one of the best chess players after winning the 2024 World Championship. Gukesh, who started playing chess at the young age of 7, started his chess career at the age of 9 in which he won the Asian School Chess Championship title. At the age of just 12, he became the third youngest grandmaster in the world. He made India proud by winning the 2018 Asian Youth Championship.

In 2023, he crossed the 2750 rating mark to become India’s No. 1, but now in January 2026, he is ranked World No. 9 and is among India’s top 3. After that he won the Candidates Tournament and made India proud by winning the title of World Champion by defeating Ding Lan in chess at the Singapore World Championship held on 12 December.

In 2025, Gukesh tied with Pragg at the Tata Steel Masters as defending champion and defeated both Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura at Norway Chess – wins that are making him a more mature player. In January 2025, he received the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, India’s highest sports honour.

Gukesh is participating in the Prague Chess Festival at the start of 2026, where the focus is on the classical format. As reigning champion, his next big target is to defend the Candidates 2026 Championship – he is still staying consistent with daily training and tournaments.

Gukesh D Awards and Achievements

Year	Award/Achievement	Details/Context
2022	44th Chess Olympiad – Individual Gold & Team Bronze	Strong board performance in Chennai earned him individual gold and a significant role in the team bronze.
2023	Asian Chess Federation Player of the Year	Won for Best Performance of the Year
2024	FIDE World Chess Championship Winner	Defeated Ding Liren to become the youngest undisputed champion (at 18 years and 6 months)
2024	45th Chess Olympiad – Team Gold & Individual Gold	Gold for India’s open team in Budapest, individual performances also top-notch
2025	Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award	India’s highest sports honour, presented by President Draupadi Murmu on January 17, 2025 – for the World Championships
2025	Chess.com Player of the Year	Won by the international chess community as the best player of the year

Gukesh D Net Worth

Category	Details
Net Worth	₹ 20-21 Crore (USD $2.5 Million)
Monthly Income	N/A
Annual Income	N/A
World Championship Prize Money	₹11.45 Crore
Active Years	2015-Present

Gukesh’s net worth after winning the World Championship is estimated to be around ₹20-21 crore. The championship prize money is a major part of this at ₹11.45 crore, the rest comes from endorsements and sponsorships (such as meetings and possible deals with the Adani Group). Apart from the prize money, he received large bonuses from the government and schools – such as ₹5 crore from Tamil Nadu, ₹1.25 crore from the Centre, and a ₹1 crore award from the school. According to reports, his tax after the championship was ~₹4.67 crore. Currently, he is focusing on the prize money and long-term endorsements.

Gukesh D Social Media

Social Media	Followers	Visit
Instagram	1.7M Followers	Check Out
Twitter	210K Followers	Check Out
Facebook	23K Followers	Check Out

Gukesh D Biography: Conclusion

The story of Gukesh D is about a middle-class boy from Chennai whose only dream was to play chess – and that dream has now become a world champion. Now in January 2026, he is ranked world No. 9 as the reigning champion and is participating in classical events like the Prague Chess Festival. His next major target is to defend the 2026 Candidates, where his consistency and experience will come in handy. Gukesh’s journey is still ongoing, and he is on his way to taking chess to even greater levels.

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