New Delhi: Indian chess prodigy Pranesh Munirethinam faces trouble in clearing his visa stopping him from participating in the upcoming FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in Hong Kong, prompting an urgent appeal from coach RB Ramesh.
Taking on 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 that he has submitted well in advance.
Ramesh RB took to the X and wrote, “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.
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…— Ramesh RB (@Rameshchess) June 10, 2026
Pranesh is currently playing in the French League and is expected to go to Hongkong directly from France. Need urgent help please to get him a Hong Kong Visa!”
The tournament is scheduled from June 17 to June 21 that will feature a strong Chess Guurkul lineup led by Indian stars R Praggnanandhaa and Vaishali RameshBabu. The squad also comprises Aravindh Chithambaram, Karthikeyan Murali, Rakshita Ravi, Vishruth B and Varsha Ramesh.
Previously, 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 potential absence could prove to be a major setback. The young talent recently played an important supporting role in Vraishali’s successful Candidates campaign in Cyprus, which secured her a World Championship clash against China’s Ju Wenjun.
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