In a tiny room in Chennai, where the scent of tamarind rice and ambition mingled in the air, a boy sat hunched over a chessboard. No noise. No distractions. Just sixty-four squares and a world of endless possibilities. That boy was Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa. And this is his captivating story.

“On the Move”, the docu-series, takes us into the quiet storm that is Praggnanandhaa—a chess prodigy whose rise is stitched with silent sacrifices and steely resolve. But this is not just about raw talent. It’s about the people who held him up when the world didn’t know his name.

The 19-year-old's father, Rameshbabu, has a debilitating spinal condition. Rameshbabu worked as a branch manager at the Tamil Nadu Cooperative Bank. He took voluntary retirement to support his children—especially Mr Praggnanandhaa and his sister Vaishali (also a top chess player)—as they pursued their chess careers full-time.

His decision to step away from work was instrumental in allowing the family to travel for tournaments and focus on the children's training and development in chess.

His strength, however, lies not in mobility, but in stillness—in the patient belief that his son was meant for something more. While others looked for stability in life, he bet on a child’s dream, even when the odds were unkind.

At the heart of this incredible journey is Nagalakshmi—Pragg’s mother and first champion. She travelled with him to tournaments, waited outside halls for hours, and cooked every meal with the same care she packed into his chess bag. “Her curd rice saved me more times than any tactic,” Pragg says with a smile in the film. Her food wasn’t just nutrition—it was her way of shielding him from a world too big, too soon.

Guiding this young genius was coach R B Ramesh—a mentor who never asked for brilliance, only effort. He saw a calm fire in Mr Praggnanandhaa and nurtured it through endless hours of training, sacrifice, and belief. “He didn’t talk much,” Mr Ramesh says, “but every move he made spoke volumes.”

The docu-series also reveals a powerful turning point—when the Adani Group, under Chairman Gautam Adani, stepped in with quiet determination. Recognising not just a player, but a symbol of India’s chess renaissance, Mr Adani ensured Pragg had access to elite coaching, international travel, and holistic development.

Behind the scenes, Mr. Adani has been more than a benefactor. Known for his deep belief in nurturing young Indian talent through Adani Sportsline, he sent long, thoughtful text messages to Pragg at key moments—encouraging him before tournaments, lifting his spirits after losses, and reminding him of the larger dream: to make India proud on the global chessboard.

These messages weren’t corporate platitudes. They were personal, grounded in understanding the boy behind the board. “Your calm is your strength, your moves are your message—play not just to win, but to inspire,” one message read.

For Pragg, these texts became quiet affirmations—fuel for the long, lonely grind toward greatness. “It meant a lot,” he shared. “To know someone like him was watching, supporting, and believing in me—not just as a player, but as a person.”

Pragg acknowledges this support with heartfelt gratitude. “Mr Gautam Adani believed in me at a time when belief mattered more than anything. He gave me the chance to dream bigger.”

From defeating world champions like Magnus Carlsen to becoming the youngest Indian to reach a Chess World Cup final, Pragg’s feats have not only stunned the chess world—they’ve inspired a nation.

But the boy remains grounded. “I don’t play to prove anything,” he says softly. “I play because I love the game. And I want to be World Champion someday—not for me, but for everyone who moved with me.”

On the Move is not just about checkmates. It’s about choosing to rise, again and again, no matter how tough the board looks and how daunting the challenger will be.