Tamil Nadu CM Vijay Gives Rs 50 Lakh Reward to Chess Champion Praggnanandhaa
Indian chess prodigy Praggnanandhaa made history by winning the Norway Chess Tournament, defeating Magnus Carlsen and later being honoured by Tamil Nadu CM Vijay.
At just 20 years old, Indian Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa has added another remarkable chapter to his chess journey. On June 5, the Chennai-born prodigy won the prestigious Norway Chess Tournament, becoming the first Indian ever to claim the title since its inception in 2013.
One of the tournament's defining moments came when Pragg stunned World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen on his home turf. He then sealed the championship with a victory over Germany's Vincent Keymer in the final round.
To celebrate the historic achievement, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay honoured Praggnanandhaa with a cash award of ?50 lakh at the Secretariat. The ceremony took an unexpected turn when Vijay challenged the chess star to a friendly game inside his chamber. While Pragg won comfortably, he later admitted he was pleasantly surprised by the Chief Minister's skills, revealing that the match was completely impromptu.
With his sister R. Vaishali also enjoying a breakthrough year after winning a major women's tournament in Cyprus, 2026 is proving to be a golden year for one of India's most accomplished chess families.
