Chennai, June 8:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday felicitated chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa for his historic triumph at the Norway Chess tournament and presented him with a cash award of Rs 50 lakh. The meeting took an engaging turn when CM Vijay and the 20-year-old Grandmaster sat down across a chessboard for a friendly game.
Praggnanandhaa created history in Oslo by becoming the first-ever Indian to clinch the Norway Chess title. His campaign included a rare feat; defeating home favourite and World No 1 Magnus Carlsen twice in the classical format, alongside a crucial victory over reigning World Champion D Gukesh.
Lauding the youngster’s exceptional intellect and composure on the global stage, CM Vijay handed over the Rs 50 lakh cheque as a token of appreciation on behalf of the Tamil Nadu Sports Development Authority, along with a memento for bringing laurels to both Tamil Nadu and the nation.
Minister for Public Works and Sports Development Aadhav Arjuna, Member Secretary of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu J Meghanatha Reddy, IAS, Praggnanandhaa’s parents and high-ranking government officials were present during the felicitation.
Pragg, who had slipped to No 16 in the world rankings in the last list released on June 1, came up with a brilliant performance in Norway Chess as he stormed back from the brink to win the prestigious title.
He was sixth and last in the standings after the sixth round but won four games in a row, including his second win over Carlsen and a penultimate round victory, and compatriot Gukesh, which propelled him into contention for the title. This was the first such winning streak in the event since Carlsen’s in 2021.
Entering the round half a point behind Wesley So, Praggnanandhaa knew that a victory would put him in a strong position to overtake the leader. Facing Vincent Keymer with the white pieces, the Indian grandmaster made the most of his opportunity and converted a crucial win. The full 3 points lifted Praggnanandhaa to 18 points and secured first place.