Tamil Nadu has been been churning out top-tier chess players for decades at an unrivaled rate. Out of the 85 Grand Masters in India, 31 are from the southern state.
Moreover, three of the four Indian players in world top-10 rankings hail from Tamil Nadu.
The state government's approach to sports development, especially chess, is increasingly structured and inclusive. At its heart is the Elite Scheme for outstanding sportspersons, implemented through the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu, which aims at reviving sports culture at the grassroots and creating a strong talent pipeline across the state.
World chess champion D Gukesh and teen prodigy R Praggnanandhaa are some of the beneficiaries of the initiative.
Under this scheme, sportspersons who win medals in international competitions are provided with an annual grant of Rs 30 lakh (Rs 3 million) to further enhance their skills. This financial support helps them acquire advanced sports equipment, train under world-class coaches abroad, and consistently participate in international competitions to showcase their talent.
Recently, players from the state excelled at various global championships including the Norway Chess and the Stepan Avagyan Memorial 2025 tournament in Armenia.
The state government on Thursday organised a function to honour their achievements.
Gukesh, the reigning World Junior Champion and recipient of the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, who secured third place in the Norway Chess Tournament, Aravindh Chithambaram, who clinched the Stepan Avagyan Memorial Chess 2005 title, and Praggnanandhaa, who secured second place in the same tournament, were felicitated by deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin.
This event was also attended by Atulya Misra, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary of Youth Welfare and Sports Development Department, and J Meghanath Reddy, IAS, Member Secretary of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu.
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