A few days after his historic success at the Norway Chess tournament, Indian Grandmaster Pragnanandha met CM Vijay at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat. It was on Monday, and the whole thing also involved Praggnanandhaa’s parents , kind of a full circle visit you know. The purpose was basically to recognize his recent achievement on the international chess stage.

Courtesy visit at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat

Praggnanandhaa, recently became the first Indian player to lift the prestigious Norway Chess tournament. He locked in the title after defeating Germany’s Vincent Keymer. His win got a lot of coverage and yeah it brought a quiet kind of pride to Tamil Nadu and India.

During the visit, CM Vijay congratulated the young grandmaster for his remarkable showing. He praised it at length and said Tamil Nadu is proud, very proud of his success.

Friendly chess game between CM Vijay and Praggnanandhaa

The meeting wasn’t only formal. It also included a friendly chess game between the Chief Minister and the grandmaster, and it started after CM Vijay hinted he wanted to play.

Quick checkmate during the match

Once the board was arranged, the two went for a short battle. Praggnanandhaa took the initiative fast , and he checkmated CM Vijay within just a few moves.

Even though it was informal, it still became one of those memorable moments from the visit.

CM Vijay’s interest in chess

Praggnanandhaa said he had no idea that the Chief Minister actually played chess. He mentioned that the whole notion of the game came from CM Vijay himself.

Later, Praggnanandhaa added that he asked CM Vijay how frequently he plays. CM Vijay replied that he plays only sometimes, usually with friends.

Government Honors Norway Chess Title Winner

The Tamil Nadu government kind of used the moment to applaud the grandmaster’s big international accomplishment, not sure how else to say it really.

Congratulations and Recognition

CM Vijay sent his congratulations to Praggnanandhaa for becoming the Norway Chess title winner. He also stressed how big the win is, and how it may lift the state’s sporting image.

₹50 Lakh Reward Announcement

As a sign of appreciation , the Chief Minister handed over a cheque of ₹50 lakh, on behalf of the Tamil Nadu government. The amount was meant as recognition for Praggnanandhaa’s success , as well as his contribution to Indian chess.

Praggnanandhaa Shares His Experience

After the meeting, Praggnanandhaa spoke with reporters about his conversation with the Chief Minister.

Surprise at CM Vijay's Chess Ability

The grandmaster said he was genuinely taken aback to know that CM Vijay plays chess. He added that nobody had actually mentioned this earlier , even a small clue, before the meeting.

Praggnanandhaa also mentioned that the Chief Minister performed well in the game between them. He said he didn’t really assume Vijay would have such a solid grasp of chess.

Comments to the Media

While speaking to the media, Praggnanandhaa said the game kicked off in a rather spontaneous way. He explained that CM Vijay asked him to bring the chessboard and begin a match. Even though Praggnanandhaa came out on top, he complimented the Chief Minister’s showing, and his active interest in the sport too.

A Proud Moment for Tamil Nadu

That meeting between CM Vijay and Pragnanandha marked a notable achievement in Indian chess. Being the Norway Chess title winner, Praggnanandhaa has, in a way, added one more strong milestone to his fast-moving career. The Tamil Nadu government’s recognition underlines how important this accomplishment is , and how much pride it has given the state.