Tamil Nadu CM Vijay honours Norway Chess Champion Praggnanandhaa with Rs 50 lakh; Impresses grandmaster in friendly Chess match

Actor turned politician and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay met Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa in Chennai on Monday. He honored him for his historic victory at the Norway Chess Tournament. The young chess prodigy became the first Indian to win the prestigious title.

During their meeting, Vijya also presented him with a cash reward of Rs 50 lakh on behalf of the Tamil Nadu government.

Vijay plays chess with Praggnanandhaa

Pictures and videos of their meeting are surfacing online. Interestingly, Vijay also played a chess match with Praggnanandhaa. While Praggnanandhaa won the game, the young Grandmaster later revealed that he was impressed by the Chief Minister’s understanding of the sport.

Pragg praises Vijay’s chess skills

As per an India Today report, Praggnanandhaa shared his thoughts about the unexpected game with Vijay. “I didn't expect it. I haven't heard from anyone that he plays chess. He asked me to bring the board. We assembled the pieces on the board and began playing impromptu. He played well,” Pragg said.

He further added, “I asked him when he plays chess. He said he played with his friends. I won, but I didn't expect he would play that well.”


Praggnanandhaa’s mother Nagalakshmi was also present during the meeting. Minister for Public Works Department and Sports Development Aadhav Arjuna attended the event as well.

Fans wait for ‘Jana Nayagan’

Apart from politics, Vijay’s last film remains his much anticipated political action drama, ‘Jana Nayagan’ which is yet to make its way on the big screens.

The movie was originally scheduled to hit theatres on January 9, 2026. However, the release was delayed due to prolonged certification disputes with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and an official new release date is yet to be announced.