Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa was felicitated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay with a Rs 50 lakh incentive for his historic Norway Chess victory, marking him as the first Indian to win the prestigious tournament.
IMAGE: Tamil Nadu CM Vijay meets Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa on Monday, following his title win at Norway Chess 2026, Photograph: TNDIPR/ANI Video Grab
Key Points
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay presented a Rs 50 lakh cash incentive to Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa.
- Praggnanandhaa was honoured for becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious Norway Chess title.
- The Chief Minister engaged in a game of chess with the 20-year-old Grandmaster during the felicitation ceremony.
- Praggnanandhaa considers his Norway Chess triumph, which included defeating Magnus Carlsen, the biggest achievement of his career.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday felicitated Indian chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa with a cash reward of Rs 50 lakh and even sat down for a friendly game against the 20-year-old Grandmaster at the Secretariat in Chennai.
Praggnanandhaa, who recently became the first Indian to win the prestigious Norway Chess title after defeating Vincent Keymer in the final round in Oslo, was honoured by the state government for his historic achievement.
CM Vijay chekmated by Praggnandhaa
IMAGE: Tamil Nadu CM Vijay plays a round of chess with Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa on Monday. Photograph: TNDIPR/ANI Video Grab
The young Grandmaster met Vijay at his chamber in the Secretariat, accompanied by his parents. During the interaction, the Chief Minister surprised many by agreeing to a game of chess with Praggnanandhaa.
A video released by the government showed Vijay fully engrossed in the contest, standing beside his large office table as he searched for ways to protect his king. Watching the game unfold were Praggnanandhaa’s parents, Tamil Nadu Public Works and Sports Development Minister Aadhav Arjuna and Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu member secretary J Meghanatha Reddy.
The contest ended in fitting fashion, with Praggnanandhaa delivering a checkmate. Vijay responded with a smile and applauded his young opponent, prompting those gathered around to join in the applause as the Grandmaster beamed with delight.
Photograph: TNDIPR/ANI Video Grab
CM Vijay Felicitates Chess Champion
IMAGE: Tamil Nadu CM Vijay meets Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa and his parents, and awards him Rs 50 lakh for winning Norway Chess 2026 title. Photograph: TNDIPR/ANI Video Grab
The Chief Minister later presented Praggnanandhaa with a cheque for Rs 50 lakh on behalf of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu in recognition of his landmark achievement.
“I didn’t expect the chief minister to play chess; he played well. We played for about 15 minutes and I won,” Praggnanandhaa told reporters.
He revealed that he had been asked to bring a chessboard for the meeting.
“The CM is very supportive and encouraging,” he added.
Praggnanandhaa described his triumph at Norway Chess as the biggest achievement of his career so far, noting that overcoming some of the world’s strongest players, including Magnus Carlsen, made the title especially memorable.
His victory in Norway marked another milestone in Indian chess history, as he became the first Indian champion since the tournament was launched in 2013.
