Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay handed over cash incentives to the state's Chess Olympiad 2026 medallists at a felicitation ceremony in Chennai on 8 October, organised by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT). The event also honoured the state's Asian Games medallists.

R Praggnanandhaa receives his cash award from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay in Chennai on 8 October 2026. | Photo: ChessBase India

Who received what

R Praggnanandhaa received Rs. 15,00,000 (USD 15,496) for his individual bronze medal on Board 1 and the team silver for India, according to ChessBase India's report from the ceremony.

According to the Tamil daily Dinamalar, D Gukesh also received Rs 15 lakh (about USD 15,500). Gukesh won the individual silver and was part of the Indian Open team that took team silver. His father, Rajinikanth, and mother, Padma, received the award on his behalf.

Savitha Shri B, who won the individual gold medal and was part of the Indian women's team that took bronze, received Rs 10 lakh (about USD 10,300), as per Dinamalar.

R Vaishali, also a member of the bronze-medal women's team, received Rs 10 lakh (about USD 10,300), as per Dinamalar. Her father, Rameshbabu, and Praggnanandhaa received the award on her behalf.

Srinath Narayanan, captain of the Indian Open team, was also presented with Rs. 10,00,000 (about USD 10,300) by the Chief Minister.

The bigger picture

Four of the ten players in India's two Olympiad squads, Praggnanandhaa, Gukesh, Vaishali and Savitha Shri, are from Tamil Nadu. India finished with silver in the Open section and bronze in the Women's section in Samarkand. Per PTI, the Chief Minister distributed a total of Rs 6.9 crore in state incentives at the event to medallists from the Asian Games in Nagoya and the Chess Olympiad.

Dream Olympics Player Support Scheme | Photo: Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu

The state also launched its Dream Olympics 2036 scheme at the ceremony. The scheme offers financial support to medal winners from the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and the Para Asian and Commonwealth Games. Inducted athletes will receive Rs 50 lakh per year, including a monthly stipend of Rs 1 lakh, to support elite training, nutrition and international exposure.

It's amazing to see how Tamil Nadu supports its chess players. It inspires young kids who dream of playing for India, because it shows their hard work will be noticed. With the Dream Olympics 2036 scheme, Tamil Nadu's athletes will have strong support in the years ahead.