New Delhi: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday felicitated chess star R Praganandha after his historic victory in the Norway chess tournament, presenting him with a cash prize of Rs 50 lakh and a memento. A friendly game of chess was also played between the Chief Minister and the 20-year-old Grandmaster at the event. The event was attended by senior government officials, sports officials and Praganandha’s parents. Praganandha created history in Oslo by becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious Norwegian chess title. His standout campaign included two Classic format victories over the world No.1. Magnus Carlsen And a crucial win against reigning world champion De Gokesh. Appreciating his calm and unassuming presence on the international stage, the Chief Minister presented the award on behalf of the Tamil Nadu Sports Development Authority.See:The victory was all the more impressive given Praganandha’s difficult start. After six rounds, he was bottom of the standings at sixth and had recently slipped to 16th in the world rankings. However, he turned things around with four straight wins, including another victory over Carlsen and a crucial win over Gokesh. The streak was the tournament’s first four-game winning streak since Karlsson accomplished the feat in 2021.Also read: Exclusive interview with R Praganandha: ‘Winning ahead of Magnus Carlsen is something I’ve always wanted’Going into the final round, Praganandha trailed leader Wesley Soo by half a point and knew a win was necessary. Playing with white pieces against Vincent Kaymer, he took advantage of his opportunity and won a crucial victory. The result earned him a full three points, bringing his tally to 18 points and moving him into first place overall.The title marked a major milestone in Indian chess, highlighting Praganananda’s resilience and ability to bounce back from adversity to claim one of the sport’s most prestigious crowns.
