On Raj Shamani's podcast, chess prodigy Praggnanandhaa opens up about rivals, early career, and Samay Raina

Mint

4 days ago

Podcaster Raj Shamani, who has over 12 million subscribers on YouTube and recently made headlines for his highly discussed interview with fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya, has now hosted Indian chess Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa.
Praggnanandhaa, who achieved the Grandmaster title at the age of 12, discussed a host of topics on the podcast — from his early journey, starting with his first encounter with chess, to training with legends like Viswanathan Anand, and the sacrifices his family made to help him compete at the highest level.
Shamani began the podcast by asking the chess prodigy about the first time he saw chess, to which he replied:'I was around three years old, and I played my first state championship at the age of five.'
The astonished YouTuber then remarked: 'And you became a Grandmaster at 12?'
Nodding at the mention of his milestone achievement, Praggnanandhaa admitted it was a remarkable accomplishment but added that he 'was too young to handle the pressure that comes with such a title.'
Shamani — a YouTuber and four-time TEDx speaker — then asked him about the application of vibhuti, the sacred ash used mainly in Hindu religious practices, on his forehead. Praggnanandhaa explained:
'It's basically ash. We come from ash and return to it, so there's nothing to be arrogant about.'
The chess sensation was later asked about his competitors and friends who have made him feel 'insecure.'
'Do you have many chess friends? Who has made you feel insecure in the past?' the YouTuber asked.
'Mostly people from my generation. If Gukesh or Arjun do well — or not as well — I feel like I can do it too, and I try to put pressure on myself,' the chess master replied.
The conversation then shifted to stand-up artist Samay Raina, who previously made headlines for his appearance on the controversial show India's Got Latent and received backlash for his remarks.
'What do you think is the contribution of Samay Raina and Sagar to the chess world?' Shamani asked.
'Samay brought new audiences to the game. Sagar, through ChessBase India, covers almost every tournament possible. Both have been great for chess,' Praggnanandhaa replied.
Samay had gained popularity for his chess streams, which he started during the pandemic, but later stopped after his show ran into controversy.
Praggnanandhaa was also asked about the financial aspects of playing chess — 'Is there money in chess?' — to which the chess prodigy responded:
'Yes, and more than there used to be.'