Question 11 from UPSC CSE 2025 - Current Affairs (Art & Culture)

Question

Consider the following statements:
I. In the finals of the 45th Chess Olympiad held in 2024, Gukesh Dommaraju became the world's youngest winner after defeating the Russian player Jan Nepomniachtchi.
II. Abhimanyu Mishra, an American chess player, holds the record of becoming the world's youngest ever Grandmaster.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: B. II only

Strategy: Careful scrutiny of names, events, and titles is essential. The first statement incorrectly associates Gukesh's achievement with the Chess Olympiad final and with Jan Nepomniachtchi, which doesn't match actual events. The second statement about Abhimanyu Mishra as the world's youngest Grandmaster is a verifiable fact. Thus, only Statement II stands correct.

Key Info: Gukesh Dommaraju (D. Gukesh) is an Indian chess prodigy who, in December 2024, became the youngest player to win the FIDE World Chess Championship by defeating Ding Liren of China in Singapore at 18 years old. His victory broke Garry Kasparov's longstanding record as the youngest World Champion (Kasparov won at 22). The FIDE Chess Olympiad is a separate team competition and in 2024, India won Gold in both Open and Women's categories, defeating teams like Slovenia, but not in the context described in Statement I. Jan Nepomniachtchi is a top Russian grandmaster who competed in Candidates Tournaments and recent World Championships but was not Gukesh's opponent in any World Championship finals.

Abhimanyu Mishra is an American chess player from New Jersey who holds the official FIDE record as the youngest Grandmaster ever, achieving the title on July 4, 2021, at the age of 12 years, 4 months, and 25 days. He surpassed the previous record set by Sergey Karjakin (who became a GM at 12 years, 7 months). Achieving the GM title requires three grandmaster-level 'norms' and a live rating above 2500 Elo points.

The Chess Olympiad is a biennial team competition organized by FIDE (International Chess Federation). The World Chess Championship is an individual event to decide the world's leading player. FIDE (Fédération Internationale des checs) is the global governing body for chess, recognized by the International Olympic Committee.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option A: I only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option C: Both I and II

IASCODEX · Answer

Option D: Neither I nor II