NEW DELHI: A visa issue has cast uncertainty over Indian chess prodigy Pranesh Munirethinam’s participation in the upcoming FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in Hong Kong, prompting an urgent appeal from coach RB Ramesh.Taking to X on Tuesday, Ramesh revealed that 19-year-old Pranesh, who is currently competing in the French League, is yet to receive his Hong Kong visa despite an application being submitted well in advance. “Our team ChessGurukul is supposed to participate at the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship to be organised by @FIDE_chess at Hong Kong between 16th to 22nd of June. Our player Pranesh Munirethinam @Praneshchess has not yet obtained the Visa for the same. We have applied for it and would require help from the concerned officials to expedite the same please. Pranesh is currently playing at the French League and is expected to go to Hong Kong directly from France. Need urgent help please to get him Hong Kong Visa!” Ramesh wrote.The tournament, scheduled from June 17 to 21, will feature a strong Chess Gurukul lineup led by Indian stars R Praggnanandhaa and Vaishali Rameshbabu. The squad also includes Aravindh Chithambaram, Karthikeyan Murali, Rakshitta Ravi, Vishruth B and Varsha Ramesh.Earlier, Ramesh had expressed his excitement about fielding a ChessGurukul team on the international stage, writing, “One of my long term dream is to field a @chessgurukul team in an International team event, coming to reality! Eagerly looking forward! My wife @Aarthieramesh will be the team manager/captain. Daughter Varsha will be playing as well in the below 2000 board. Each one of them is very very close to my heart. Dream team!”Pranesh’s possible absence would be a significant blow. The young player recently played a key support role during Vaishali’s successful Candidates campaign in Cyprus, which earned her a World Championship match against China’s Ju Wenjun.Speaking after her triumph, Vaishali highlighted Pranesh’s importance away from the board.“The idea was I might get tense because there are a lot of tense moments, and he will keep it light. That was the plan. And it exactly happened the same,” she said.“He has been super supportive throughout the tournament, and we have played a lot of table tennis and padel,” she added.With the tournament fast approaching, ChessGurukul will be hoping the visa issue is resolved quickly so Pranesh can join the team in Hong Kong.
