2 min readNew DelhiJun 8, 2026 01:49 PM IST
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay felicitated grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa in Chennai on Monday, honouring the 20-year-old chess prodigy for becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious Norway Chess tournament on June 6. On behalf of the Tamil Nadu government, Vijay presented Praggnanandhaa with a cash reward of Rs 50 lakh. However, it wasn’t just the felicitation ceremony that grabbed attention. A light-hearted chess match between the Chief Minister and the newly crowned champion quickly went viral on social media.
During their meeting, Vijay surprised many by inviting the grandmaster for an impromptu game of chess. In the now-viral video, the two can be seen standing across a table with a chessboard between them, rapidly making their moves as onlookers watched. As expected, Praggnanandhaa emerged victorious, but not before Vijay impressed him with his skills.
#WATCH | Chennai | Tamil Nadu CM Vijay meets Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa and awards him Rs 50 lakh on behalf of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu after the chess player won the Norway Chess 2026 title.
(Source: TNDIPR) pic.twitter.com/Lf4dNgYrEX
— ANI (@ANI) June 8, 2026
Speaking to the media later, Praggnanandhaa admitted he was surprised by Vijay’s interest in the game.
“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 and began playing impromptu. He played well. I asked him when he plays chess. He said he plays with his friends. I won, but I didn’t expect he would play that well,” the grandmaster said.
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Exclusive:-CM Vijay played chess with me. I thought it would be easy to win, but his moves were very calculated and tough 😳🔥. In the end, I managed to win- Says Praggnanandhaa ♟️
— TD….❥ (@MiniiGirl__) June 8, 2026
On the film front, Vijay’s final movie before transitioning into full-time politics, Jana Nayagan, is yet to hit theatres. The film was originally slated for a Pongal release this year, but its release remains uncertain due to certification issues.
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