TN govt to felicitate World Chess Champion Gukesh, hand over Rs 5 crore cheque today

Chennai (The Uttam Hindu): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin will felicitate World Chess Champion D. Gukesh on Tuesday and him over a Rs 5 crore cheque. The felicitation ceremony will also be attended by Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and chess legend Viswanathan Anand. Gukesh reached Chennai along with his parents on Monday after winning the World Championship in Singapore. The World Chess Champion was received at the Chennai International Airport by the Additional Chief Secretary (Youth Affairs and Sports Development) Atulya Misra and Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) Member-Secretary Meghanath Reddy.

Gukesh and his parents were then escorted to a specially decorated vehicle adorned with pictures of the young champion's achievements. Gukesh, categorised as an "elite sportsperson" by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT), continues to receive financial support under the high-incentive category. The state government went the extra mile in 2023 by organising the Chennai Grand Masters event to help Gukesh gain FIDE circuit points. Notably, Gukesh qualified for the Candidates Tournament 2024 only because of his victory in the Chennai event. His success in the Candidates Tournament earned him a spot in the World Chess Championship, which was held in Singapore.

Gukesh did not have enough circuit points to qualify for the Candidates Tournament, and it was at this point that the Tamil Nadu government stepped in by hosting the event - a move that proved critical to Gukesh's journey to success. The 18-year-old Gukesh defeated China's Ding Liren 7.5-6.5 in Singapore last week to become the youngest World Champion, breaking the longstanding record of Russian great Garry Kasparov. Kasparov won the World Chess Championship in 1985 at the age of 22, defeating then-reigning champion Anatoly Karpov. Interestingly, Gukesh will take on Magnus Carlsen, the world's highest-rated player, at the Norway Chess Tournament next year. Scheduled to take place in Stavanger, Norway, from May 26 to June 6, 2025, the Norway Chess Tournament promises to be an unmissable spectacle for chess fans across the globe. In 2023, Gukesh finished third in Stavanger. This time, however, he returned as World Champion, ready to prove his mettle against the best, including Carlsen.