 "India's young chess genius Gukesh to receive Rs 5 cr prize from Stalin govt")
As a token of appreciation, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu MK Stalin has announced Rs 5 core cash prize to the young chess genius D Gukesh. The announcement came after Gukesh made India proud at the world level by winning the 18th World Chess Championship in Singapore on Friday. Gukesh is not only the second Indian chess champion after Viswanathan Anand but also the youngest champion of all time.
In his post on social media platform X, Stalin wrote, “To honour the monumental achievement of @DGukesh, the youngest-ever World Chess Champion, I am delighted to announce a cash prize of Rs 5 crore! His historic victory has brought immense pride and joy to the nation. May he continue to shine and achieve greater heights in the future. Kudos to Hon’ble @Udhaystalin and @SportsTN_ for their exceptional support and encouragement in nurturing this young star.”
Support and training to Gukesh
Gukesh, a rising star in chess, has been receiving financial support under the High Incentive category established by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT). To further boost his career, the state government organised the Chennai Grand Masters event last year, enabling him to earn valuable FIDE circuit points.
Gukesh expressed his gratitude to Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and the Sports Department, commending their "exceptional support and encouragement in fostering young talent."
Gukesh’s win to claim world championship title
With this win, India’s Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest-ever world chess champion Thursday, beating China’s Ding Liren in a nail-biting finale in Singapore. Gukesh claimed the title in the decisive 14th game at just 18, breaking Garry Kasparov’s record set in 1985.
Liren, with black, made a vital mistake in the endgame. He was already well set for a tiebreak after taking the game into a seemingly level endgame. At this point, the scores stood at 7.5-6.5 with Gukesh having a lead.
“I didn’t expect to win from that position, so it was overwhelming,” Gukesh said post-match. For Liren, defeat marked the end of a difficult year. Since winning the title in 2023, he has battled form, skipped major classical events, and hasn’t won in this format since January.