How Praggnanandhaa balanced school, exams and becoming a chess star

R Praggnanandhaa pursued competitive chess while continuing his studies at Velammal School in Chennai. His journey showed how flexible academic support helped him manage board exams and tournaments.Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa's educational journeyFor most students, school, homework and examinations follow a fixed routine. For R Praggnanandhaa, the classroom had to coexist with an increasingly demanding chess career that took him across India and the world from a very young age.Praggnanandhaa began learning chess as a child and quickly emerged as one of India's most promising young players. His growing tournament commitments meant that maintaining a conventional school routine was not always easy. Yet education remained an important part of his journey.Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa became the first Indian to win the Grand Chess Tour title, beating Fabiano Caruana of the US 15-13 in the final. He staged a remarkable comeback after trailing Caruana on Thursday, securing his maiden GCT title and a USD 200,000 prize.HIS EDUCATION JOURNEYThe Chennai-born chess star studied at Velammal School, an institution known for nurturing several elite chess players. As his international commitments increased, the school adapted to his schedule and provided academic support so that he could keep up with his studies while pursuing chess.Teachers helped him individually in subjects where he needed additional support, while his tournament schedule was taken into account. This allowed Praggnanandhaa to continue his education even as chess increasingly became a full-time pursuit. His academic journey also included an important milestone that many young athletes struggle to manage: board examinations.Praggnanandhaa completed his Class 10, 11 and 12 examinations at Velammal Main School in Chennai, even as his chess commitments kept him away from regular classes. His mother has said that the family and school worked around his tournament schedule, allowing him to balance academics with chess.INTRODUCTION TO CHESS His introduction to chess itself was gradual. His mother has spoken about how he started learning the game when he was around two-and-a-half years old. Initially, practice sessions were kept short, sometimes lasting only around 15 minutes, and were made enjoyable rather than forced.That early approach eventually led to an extraordinary chess career. Praggnanandhaa became the world's youngest international chess master at the time and later became a Grandmaster.But his journey was not simply about choosing chess over education. It was about finding a way to pursue both. From short chess lessons as a toddler to board examinations and international tournaments, his story offers an unusual example of how academic flexibility can help young talent grow without completely stepping away from the classroom.- EndsPublished By: Mridusmita DekaPublished On: Aug 28, 2026 09:50 IST