CM Presents Rs 50 Lakh Cash Award to Chess Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa for Norway Chess Title

PRESS RELEASE Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Thiru C. Joseph Vijay presents a cheque for a special incentive of Rs. 50 lakh to Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa, who created history by becoming the first Indian to win the Norway Chess 2026 title The Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Thiru C. Joseph Vijay today (8.6.2026) presented a cheque for a special incentive of Rs. 50 lakh, on behalf of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu, to Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa at the Secretariat, in recognition of his historic achievement of becoming the first Indian to win the Norway Chess 2026 title held in Oslo, the capital of Norway. On the occasion, Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa displayed the trophy awarded to him for his victory in the Norway Chess 2026 tournament and received the Chief Minister's congratulations. With the aim of making Tamil Nadu the best-performing State in India in the field of sports, the Government of Tamil Nadu has been undertaking a range of proactive measures - providing proper training to sportspersons from Tamil Nadu to enable them to participate in and win international and national-level tournaments, offering high incentives to medal winners, and upgrading sports infrastructure facilities. In this regard, Chess Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa has been receiving an annual stipend of Rs. 30 lakh under the Elite Sportsperson Scheme for top athletes, implemented through the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu. Under the leadership of the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Thiru C. Joseph Vijay, the Government of Tamil Nadu treats sports as a powerful tool for social transformation. Channelling youth energy in a constructive direction, promoting a healthy lifestyle, and effecting positive social change remain the Government's foremost objectives. The Government of Tamil Nadu remains committed to nurturing a clean, fair and ethics-driven sporting culture. Towards this end, a dedicated chess academy titled "Home of Chess" has been established at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai through the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu. This academy conducts structured training camps, monitors players' performance, provides international-level exposure, and offers advanced training using modern equipment and simulation software. Emphasis is also placed on mental conditioning, systematic planning, and the holistic intellectual development of players. This initiative aims to encourage players of all ages, particularly young players, and to pave the way for them to attain prestigious titles such as International Master (IM) and Grandmaster (GM). The event was attended by the Hon'ble Minister for Public Works and Sports Development Thiru Aadhav Arjuna, Member-Secretary of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu Thiru J. Meghanath Reddy, IAS, the parents of Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa, and senior government officials. Issued by: Director, Directorate of Information and Public Relations, Chennai-9