Surat : Seven-year-old Pragnika Vaka Lakshmi from Surat has emerged as one of India’s youngest world champions after winning the Under-7 girls’ title at the FIDE World Schools Chess Championship.
According to a report by The Times of India, Pragnika delivered a dominant performance at the global event, winning all nine of her matches to secure the gold medal. Remarkably, the championship marked her first international appearance, making the achievement even more significant.
Pragnika’s introduction to chess began at home during the COVID-19 lockdown, where she started observing her elder sister play the game. As reported by The Times of India, her interest quickly turned into competitive promise, and she began formal training at the age of five under coach Vicky Chauhan.
The report highlighted the strong support system behind her success. Her parents regularly travelled long distances to ensure she gained competitive exposure, often allowing her to compete in open-category tournaments despite her young age.
Following her world title, Pragnika received national recognition and was honoured with the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, as noted by The Times of India. She also interacted with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the award ceremony.
Despite her rapid rise, Pragnika continues to balance school and chess, with her family maintaining a focus on steady development rather than early pressure.
At just seven, Pragnika Lakshmi’s world championship victory adds another milestone to India’s growing presence in global chess.
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