This young 18-year-old Gukesh Dommaraju, who is the youngest-ever World Chess Champion, scripted history on Thursday. His Singapore win not only brought him under the spotlight but also made way for a battle of claims between two southern Indian states Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh-over his origins. Both the states are beaming with pride over Gukesh's achievement, yet both are ready to stake claim over him.

Gukesh was born and brought up in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, though he hails from Telugu roots. His parents were both medical professionals who did not have much to do with chess. Gukesh's inherent talent for the game soon revealed itself. He became a FIDE-rated player by the time he was eight years old, and his journey into chess began.

Battle for credit: Who can claim Gukesh?

The moment Gukesh clinched the title, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin was quick to tweet his congratulations, proudly stating that Gukesh’s achievement reaffirmed Chennai’s status as the global Chess Capital. "Tamil Nadu is proud of you," he said, sharing a picture of himself presenting a gold medal to the young champion.

But within no time, it responded from Andhra Pradesh, too. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu took pride in Gukesh as “our very own Telugu boy” as he proudly stated to the whole of the nation to celebrate success with Gukesh. In a big controversy, users weighed in about where he originally belonged on online platforms.

This quickly spiraled into a debate on ethnicity and language. Some users point out that Tamil Nadu has financially supported Gukesh’s rise to the top, highlighting the ₹75 lakh prize the state awarded him earlier this year. "Gukesh Dommaraju, a Telugu grandmaster in chess, was backed by the proactive state of Tamil Nadu, which supported his career," one user wrote, suggesting that the state's contributions cannot be overlooked.

On the other hand, Andhra Pradesh supporters believe that Gukesh's Telugu roots should not be diluted by his Tamil Nadu domicile. "Gukesh is a Telugu by ethnicity, born to Telugu parents," said one post, emphasizing that living in Tamil Nadu does not make him a Tamilian. Another tweet from 'The Telugu Collective' supported this view, stating that ethnicity and domicile status need to be separated.

 However, many others dismissed the whole debate by saying that Gukesh's being an Indian matters much more than whether he is Tamil or Telugu. "What difference does it make if Gukesh is Tamil or Telugu? He won a medal for India," one user remarked.

 Even as debate rages online, Gukesh's feat is monumental for India. He became the second Indian to win the World Chess Championship, after Viswanathan Anand in 2012. Gukesh shared his joy with reporters, revealing that he had dreamed of this moment for the past decade. "I am happy that I realised the dream and made it into reality," he said.

 The 18-year-old received widespread praise for his victory, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi among those congratulating him on his success.