INDIAN teenager Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest chess world champion on Thursday after beating the defending champion Ding Liren of China in the final match of their series in Singapore.

Dommaraju, 18, secured 7.5 points against 6.5 of his rival in the contest, surpassing the achievement of Russia’s Garry Kasparov who won the title at 22.

The young prodigy has long been considered a rising star in the chess world after he became a chess grandmaster at 12. He had entered the match as the youngest-ever challenger to the world crown after winning the Candidates tournament earlier this year.

After securing victory, Dommaraju burst into tears and raised his arms in celebration.

“I was dreaming this moment for the last 10 years. I am happy that I realised the dream [and made it] into reality,” he told reporters after his win.

Dommaraju is now the second Indian to win the title after five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand.

“It’s a proud moment for chess, a proud moment for India... and for me, a very personal moment of pride,” Anand, who has been a mentor to Dommaraju, said in a post on X.