Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. India's chess prodigy Gukesh Dommaraju scripted history on Thursday, outsmarting reigning champion China's Ding Liren to become the youngest world champion after a fortnight-long battle of nerves and knack. As the news poured in from Singapore, marketers had found a new mascot.
Over the weekend, a range of FMCG, gaming companies, and others were lining up to partner with Gukesh to tap into his growing popularity and advertise their wares. The chess champion, whose fabulous feat sparked a veritable ownership battle between Tamil Nadu, where he was born, and Andhra Pradesh where his family hails from, is expected to charge anywhere between ₹70 lakh to ₹1 crore per year per endorsement, at least two people in the know told Mint. Last week, Gukesh etched his name in history by becoming the youngest-ever World Chess Champion at just 18.
In a dramatic conclusion to the 2024 World Chess Championship in Singapore, Gukesh defeated Liren in the 14th and final game to secure a 7.5-6.5 victory. With this win, Gukesh shattered a decades-old record set by Garry Kasparov, who became champion at 22 in 1985. He also joined the ranks of India’s chess legend Viswanathan Anand, a five-time world champion, who last held the title in 2013.
Tuhin Mishra of Baseline Ventures, which managed three of the recent brand partnerships of Gukesh, confirmed that they have received endorsement offers from several companies in the categories of FMCG, computer, gaming and some corporate houses over the weekend. The company will wait to discuss the same with his family to understand their interest. Baseline Ventures had secured endorsement deals for the young champion, including partnerships with Mondelez's Cadbury
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