India — Duolingo, originally known as a language learning app, has expanded its educational offerings to include subjects such as mathematics, music, and chess. Its chess course has gained international popularity, particularly in India, a country with a strong legacy of chess grandmasters.
The campaign promoting the chess course in India features young grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, presenting him in a way that diverges from traditional portrayals of chess players. Rather than the typical “nerdy” or “awkward genius” stereotype, Praggnanandhaa is depicted as stylish, approachable, and confident, combining aspirational qualities with relatability.
Duolingo regional marketing director, Karandeep Singh Kapany, said, “Chess has long carried the perception of being either overly intellectual or inaccessible. Our ambition was to change that — to make the game inviting rather than intimidating. The Duolingo chess course is designed to democratize the sport and bring it to a much wider audience.”
He added, “Choosing Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa as the face of the course in India was a natural decision. He represents a new generation of chess excellence that is modern, aspirational, and deeply relatable. By presenting him through the same cultural lens we reserve for mainstream icons, we’re simply acknowledging what the chess community already knows: this is a sport with stars, stories, and a massive, passionate following.”
Moreover, billboards across Chennai and other parts of India also featured Praggnanandhaa wearing a contemporary take on Madras checks, alongside the Duolingo brand mascot. The campaign has received positive attention online, with fans responding enthusiastically to the young grandmaster’s new visual portrayal.
Speaking on the concept, creatives Shania Pereira and Pearl Alex from Talented said, “Praggnanandhaa deserves to be portrayed as the force he is, but as never seen before: iconic, commanding, and unmistakably stylish. Those who noticed the Madras Checks in his wardrobe have correctly read them as a deliberate nod to Tamil Nadu – his roots, and the land that has given India so many grandmasters.”
They added, “Conceptualizing a shoot like this meant stepping outside familiar territory, as chess has rarely been framed through an editorial lens. The fact that this avatar has surprised the internet as much as it has only means it was long overdue.”
Director duo Akimbo (M G Bopanna & Mandakini) also added, “In India, fame manifests in chaotic ways and we wanted to create small realistic vignettes of that with Praggnanandhaa. We worked closely on the script with Talented to try and achieve that. Thinking about the film vertical-first was a challenge for us. It changes variables ranging…”
The campaign reflects Duolingo’s effort to position chess as an accessible and culturally relevant activity while highlighting the achievements of its young Indian champions.
