Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday felicitated Indian chess Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa at the Chief Secretariat in Chennai, honouring the young star for his historic victory at the Norway Chess 2026 tournament.
On behalf of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT), the Chief Minister presented the 20-year-old grandmaster with a cash reward of Rs 50 lakh and a commemorative memento in recognition of his achievement.
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The ceremony celebrated a landmark moment in Indian chess history, with Praggnanandhaa becoming the first Indian player to win the prestigious Norway Chess title since the tournament was launched in 2013. He secured the championship in Oslo after defeating Germany's Vincent Keymer in the tenth and final classical round, finishing ahead of a star-studded field featuring some of the world's strongest players.
Praggnanandhaa's title-winning run earned widespread praise for his impressive performances throughout the tournament. He defeated World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen twice in classical games and also beat reigning World Champion D Gukesh. He finished ahead of top players such as Alireza Firouzja and Wesley So, highlighting the scale of his achievement.
The felicitation ceremony took an engaging turn when Vijay and Praggnanandhaa sat down for a friendly game of chess inside the Chief Minister's chamber.
"We played one game with the Chief Minister. We didn't expect this. It was a surprise and a happy moment. The cash incentive is also inspiring. I was not aware that the Chief Minister used to play chess. They asked us to bring the chessboard, and we played a game on his table. He played well and told me he used to play chess with his friends. I won the game, but he played well," Praggnanandhaa said, quoted by NDTV.
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