It was an emotional moment for us, says Gukesh’s mother Padma Kumari
D. Gukesh’s Candidates triumph has not only thrust the soft-spoken 17-year-old but also his family into the spotlight. Gukesh returned here to a rousing welcome with the crowd present even preventing his mother, Padma Kumari, from getting through to her son for a while. “Their §ight was early so by the time we came, we were a bit late. I was so happy to see Gukesh. I was searching for him in the crowd. He spotted me and broke through the gathering and came to see us. It was an emotional moment for us,” Padma told The Hindu.
A microbiologist, the suggestion that a cause for celebration could derail her workday sounds absurd to Padma.
“Usually, I never follow the games live. I wake up in the morning and see the results. That day, I thought if something good happens, my husband would call and tell me. I waited till 5 a.m. I thought since the call hadn’t come, maybe
Gukesh had drawn and the tournament had progressed to tie-breakers and I went about my work. By 6 a.m., my husband called. I knew something good has happened. We spent a few emotional moments on call.” Padma revealed usually Gukesh calls her twice a day when he’s competing once — before the game and once after. Losses would drive Gukesh to ask his mother to spend some more time speaking to him and Padma is armed with inspirational stories of athletes and personalities from across the spectrum to help lift her son’s spirits. Usain Bolt is one such source of motivation for her son.
These tales came in handy in two particularly delicate moments over the past few months. Once during the lull before Gukesh qualied for the Candidates, where poor results had dented his condence, and the other after his loss to Alireza Firouzja in the seventh round in Toronto.
What also helps, she said, is an evolving level of maturity.