CHENNAI: Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday honoured Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa with a cash incentive of `50 lakh for winning the Norway Chess 2026 title and becoming the first Indian to achieve the feat. The CM also played a game of chess with the champion at the secretariat, only to be checkmated by his young opponent.
“In the end, I won the match, but he played quite well,” Praggnanandhaa said.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Praggnanandhaa said Vijay congratulated him on his achievement and asked whether he had brought a chessboard along. “When I said yes, he immediately suggested that we play a game. We set up the board in his office and played for around 15 minutes,” the Grandmaster said.
Praggnanandhaa also asked Vijay how long he had been playing chess. The CM replied that he occasionally plays it with his friends. Later in a post on X, Praggnanandhaa, thanking the CM, said, “Sharing a game of chess with you was a truly unforgettable experience! Thank you for your continued support and encouragement to the game of chess. I will keep working hard to make Tamil Nadu and India proud.”
According to a release, the cheque of `50 lakh was presented to Praggnanandhaa on behalf of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu. Sports Minister Adhav Arjuna, SDAT Member Secretary J Meghnath Reddy, senior government officials and Praggnanandhaa’s parents were present. During the interaction with the CM, the Grandmaster also displayed the trophy he won in Oslo.
The state government, in the release, said it has been taking several steps to support sportspersons by providing training, improving sports infrastructure and offering financial assistance to medal winners. Praggnanandhaa is also receiving an annual assistance of `30 lakh under the Elite Scheme.