Norway Chess 2025: Social media erupts after Gukesh’s win over Carlsen sparks racist remarks

A video capturing the moment 18-year-old Indian chess prodigy D Gukesh defeated World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in Norway Chess 2025 has gone viral, especially for Carlsen’s reaction—banging the table in visible frustration after the loss. While the clip has been widely shared in celebration of Gukesh’s remarkable win, it also attracted a wave of disturbing racist comments online.

Many users flooded the comments section with xenophobic slurs targeting Gukesh’s nationality. One offensive comment under the video read, “Magnus was distracted by the curry scent (sic).” An NRI on X called out the tournament organizers, questioning, “Can I ask why isn’t @NorwayChess moderating its TikTok account, despite repeated racist comments targeting Gukesh? These comments are visible, liked by thousands, and consistently appear at the top.” The post included a screenshot of the mentioned remark.



The situation sparked widespread online backlash. One user wrote, “West hates Indians, they always did,” while another added, “They encourage racism against Indians.” Others pointed to a broader bias, saying, “Nobody from the West is questioning Magnus’ behaviour. It’s pure jealousy.” Another echoed the sentiment: “Let them hate—India’s rise can't be stopped.”

The match itself was a dramatic turn of events. Gukesh, initially in a disadvantageous position, capitalized on a rare error by Carlsen to seal the victory in Round 6.

Reacting to Carlsen’s frustrated response, Gukesh’s grandfather, Shankar Rajesh, came to the Norwegian’s defense. “That is natural,” he said. “He will be relaxed, and he will be practising.”

Speaking to ANI about his grandson's victory, Shankar Rajesh said, “This is one of his biggest accomplishments—something he hadn’t done before. Now that Gukesh has defeated Magnus Carlsen too, there’s no pressure on him anymore.”