Praggnanandhaa is his own man, he's handling himself mostly: coach Ramesh
Chennai (PTI): Teenaged Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa is breaking new grounds in the the Chess World Cup, scalping higher-rated opponents one after the other, but he is "handling himself mostly" as far as the nuances of the game are concerned.
Praggnanandhaa is on his own at the Azerbaijan capital of Baku as his personal coach RB Ramesh is away in another country. His mother Nagalakshmi is looking after him but not for matters relating to the tactics of the game.
"He (Praggnanandhaa) is handling himself mostly. I am just chatting on WhatsApp with him," Ramesh, himself a Grandmaster, told PTI.
"Praggnanandhaa is following a routine like sleeping nine hours at night, not skipping any meal, walking in the evening after the game and preparing four hours before the match (es)."
Despite the absence of a personal coach on tour, Praggnanandhaa has only got better with each match and overcome nerve-wracking tie-breaks, including the one against talented compatriot Arjun Erigaisi.
He has been on a roll, beating top stars like Hikaru Nakamura (world No.2) and Fabiano Caruana (world No.3) on way to the summit clash.
By becoming the only Indian player after legendary Viswanathan Anand to book a spot in the Candidates tournament, the 18-year-old wonderkid from Chennai has proved that he will be the name to reckon with in future.
Grandmaster M Shyam Sundar, who is in Baku as the coach of the Indian contingent, said the players in general have their own routine and he was keeping them in good spirits through various activities.
"Players in general here have their own routine and have their own team helping in different parts of the world. I go for walks, play table tennis with them to keep them in good spirits, arrange good food for them, provide personal care to them and have casual discussions about the game," Sundar said.
He said whenever his wards play tie-breaks, he would be in the playing hall, watch their games and make himself available throughout in case the players want some last minute discussions.
Sundar said the presence of his mother Nagalakshmi is a huge support for Praggnanandhaa and that is evident in his performance.
Praggnanandhaa too had said during the course of the World Cup that his mother has been a calming influence on him.
"Definitely good to have someone here. My mother is always supportive! Even after losing games, she was just trying to calm me down," he said.
"It's good to have someone rooting for you here, and for me my mother is a big support - not only for me, for my sister as well."
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Maharashtra cops bust ₹1.2 crore worth drugs in Bengaluru ahead of New Year
Bengaluru: With New Year celebrations just days away, the Maharashtra Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), with assistance from the Bengaluru City Police, has seized drugs worth about ₹1.20 crore from different parts of the city.
The seizure was made during coordinated raids conducted by Maharashtra police teams at Horamavu, Yerrappanahalli and Kannur areas on the outskirts of Bengaluru. During the operation, police recovered around 4.1 kg of solid MDMA and 17 kg of liquid MDMA, with a total estimated value of ₹1.20 crore.
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Home Minister Dr G. Parameshwara, who briefed senior police officers during a meeting in the city on Sunday, said the operation was part of intensified action against drug trafficking that has been underway across the state since October and November. He said the Maharashtra police had first arrested an accused in Mumbai on December 27, based on whose information another accused was traced and arrested in Bengaluru through a joint operation involving Maharashtra police and the Bengaluru City Police.
According to the Home Minister, the accused had stored mephedrone, a chemical used in the manufacture of synthetic drugs. Based on inputs from the Mumbai arrest, a coordinated operation was carried out by the Bengaluru City Police, Mumbai Police, the Narcotics Control Bureau and other investigating agencies. He dismissed claims that Bengaluru police had not acted in the case, stating that the operation was a result of joint efforts.
Dr Parameshwara also rejected reports claiming that three drug manufacturing units were operating in Bengaluru, calling such information false. He said senior Bengaluru police officers, including deputy commissioners, were present during the raids along with Maharashtra police officials. He added that the fight against drug networks was being carried out in an organised manner at the national level, with intensified enforcement since October.
Clarifying reports that suggested drugs worth ₹58 crore had been seized, the Home Minister said those figures were incorrect. He stated that the total quantity of drugs recovered was around 4 kg in solid form, valued at ₹1.20 crore. He noted that in several cases, Karnataka police also act on information provided by accused persons arrested in other states, and such coordination should not be portrayed as a failure of local police.
He warned that strict action would be taken if lapses were found at any level, including against deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners or local officers, adding that disciplinary action could go beyond suspension if required.
Senior officials, including Director General of Police Dr M.A. Saleem, Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh, joint commissioners and deputy commissioners from various wings, were present at the meeting.
Reacting to the development, former Deputy Chief Minister and BJP MLA Dr C.N. Ashwath Narayan alleged that the Home Department had failed to curb the organised production, transport and sale of drugs in the state. He said the fact that Maharashtra police were conducting raids in Karnataka reflected poorly on the state’s law enforcement machinery.
BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra also criticised the government, claiming that Bengaluru was fast turning into a “drug hub” and questioning the effectiveness of the state’s intelligence and police systems. He said the involvement of police from other states in exposing drug networks in Karnataka was a matter of serious concern and an embarrassment for the state administration.
