CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday announced a cash prize of Rs 5 crore to the newly crowned and youngest-ever world chess champion Gukesh Dommaraju from Chennai.
On Thursday, 18-year-old Gukesh beat reigning world champion Ding Liren 7.5-6.5 in the 14th and final game of the FIDE World Chess Championship 2024 in Singapore.
A release issued by the state government said that Chief Minister Stalin announced the Rs 5 crore cash prize to encourage Gukesh, accepting a request made to this effect by Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin.
Stalin had posted an appreciation message on his ‘X’ handle immediately after Gukesh's victory last night. "Congratulations to
@DGukesh on becoming the youngest-ever World Chess Champion at 18! Your remarkable achievement continues India's rich chess legacy and helps Chennai reaffirm its place as the global Chess Capital by producing yet another world-class champion. Tamil Nadu is proud of you!" Stalin's post read.
The Chief Minister had also called Gukesh over phone and congratulated him for making Tamil Nadu and the country proud at a young age.
Meanwhile, the release added that several state and international-level sports events were being organised ever since Udhayanidhi Stalin took over as the sports minister of the state, referring to the 44th Chess Olympiad conducted in Chennai in 2022.