Norway Chess champion praises CM Vijay after friendly game with R Praggnanandhaa

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay honoured Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa during a grand felicitation ceremony held in Chennai on Monday. The state government awarded the young chess sensation a cash prize worth Rs 50 lakh. Officials praised Praggnanandhaa for becoming the first Indian player winning the prestigious Norway Chess championship recently. The ceremony witnessed several dignitaries, including Sports Development Minister Aadhav Arjuna, celebrating India’s growing dominance globally. Praggnanandhaa attended the event alongside his mother Nagalakshmi, who proudly witnessed her son receiving remarkable recognition.

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Redemption Story Inspires Indian Fans

During the interaction, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay surprised Praggnanandhaa by requesting an impromptu chess match inside the ceremony venue. The two assembled chess pieces quickly before beginning a friendly contest that entertained everyone attending joyfully. Praggnanandhaa admitted later that he never expected the Chief Minister possessing such impressive strategic chess abilities. The young grandmaster revealed Vijay confidently played several intelligent moves learned while competing regularly with friends casually. Although Praggnanandhaa comfortably secured victory eventually, he praised the Chief Minister’s understanding and enthusiasm toward competitive chess.

R Praggnanandhaa created history after delivering one of modern chess’s greatest comeback performances during Norway Chess 2026 recently. The Chennai-born grandmaster struggled initially, suffering consecutive classical defeats during crucial fifth and sixth tournament rounds. Those disappointing losses pushed Praggnanandhaa toward the bottom standings while rivals strengthened their championship ambitions significantly further. However, the determined youngster responded brilliantly, producing extraordinary resilience against elite international grandmasters throughout remaining tournament fixtures. His sensational four-match winning streak completely transformed the competition and reignited India’s hopes for championship success.

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Stunning Comeback Defines Norway Chess Journey

Praggnanandhaa defeated elite stars including Alireza Firouzja, D Gukesh and world number one Magnus Carlsen impressively during the remarkable tournament comeback. The Indian prodigy defeated Carlsen twice in classical format, stunning global chess followers and analysts everywhere completely. Entering the decisive final round, Praggnanandhaa trailed tournament leader Wesley So by merely half a point narrowly. Facing Vincent Keymer with white pieces, the youngster produced a flawless performance under immense championship pressure. His final-round victory secured three valuable points, helping him clinch the historic Norway Chess title deservedly.

This memorable championship victory marked a stunning redemption journey for R Praggnanandhaa after earlier disappointments during the demanding Candidates Tournament held recently in Toronto. The talented Indian grandmaster previously finished sixth jointly after enduring several challenging rounds against elite international competitors globally. Critics questioned his consistency earlier this season, but Praggnanandhaa answered strongly through exceptional performances in Norway impressively. His Norway Chess triumph added 15.2 valuable rating points, significantly improving his position within global chess rankings worldwide. Experts now consider Praggnanandhaa among strongest contenders regularly challenging established champions dominating modern international chess tournaments.

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