Meet R Nagalakshmi, Woman Behind Chess Prodigies Praggnanandhaa & Vaishali's Success

Team India clinched their first-ever medals in both, the Open and Women's events, at the FIDE Chess Olympiad 2024 in Budapest. It was a special moment for the entire nation to see the champions making history on the global stage. However, for one woman, these wins were more exceptional as she witnessed both her children bring home a gold medal each. While the entire world is in awe of Praggnanandhaa and Rameshbabu, it was their mother who played an instrumental part in making history.

R. Nagalakshmi has followed Praggnanandhaa and Vaishali throughout their matches, capturing the world of chess from behind the scenes. Heartwarming photos and videos of her smiling proudly as her son and daughter achieved amazing success became popular on the internet.

Who Is R. Nagalakshmi ? 

Nagalakshmi was a homemaker. Her routine consisted of taking care of the family, accompanying her son and daughter to international chess tournaments, and offering encouragement and moral support. Her presence in every single match he played was a sign of love, motivation, and fortitude.

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Although initially Praggnanandhaa’s family was against him pursuing chess as a career, they eventually turned into his biggest support system. The initial hesitancy was especially because his elder sister Vaishali was already involved in the game and the family had to face several financial constraints to support two chess players.

Nagalakshmi stood with her eyes gleaming with pride and her lips curving into a warm smile. She stood on the sidelines as she watched her son play against the infamous Magnus Carlsen in the finals.

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Nagalakshmi wasn’t even aware that she was being photographed. The mother, whom the entire nation is hailing for being a steadfast supporter of the world’s best chess players, said that she was so engrossed in watching her children navigate through the 64 squares that she had no idea that she was being photographed until her pictures went viral on social media.

Nagalakshmi has also been accompanying her daughter Vaishali to all the chess matches. Vaishali's ascent to grandmaster status has garnered widespread recognition and admiration from the global chess community. In January, she was bestowed with the esteemed Arjuna Award, a fitting tribute to her outstanding contributions to the sport.  Her husband credits the victory to his wife (Nagalakshmi) for accompanying the children to tournaments and being their steadfast support system.

Reportedly, Praggnanandhaa and Vaishali  were brought up in a very traditional lifestyle and prayed before making their first move in all the matches. Nagalakshmi ensures that both her children have healthy, homemade food, not junk food.

True to the saying that there’s always a woman behind a man’s victory, Praggnanandhaa and Vaishali's mother have been their backbone and one of the main reasons for them reaching great heights today. It’s undoubtedly the dream of every child to receive that kind of trust and support from their parents. Nagalakshmi is truly an inspiration to mothers to raise their kids right despite financial and social constraints.