Chess: Shock! Arjuna Awardee Director General Abhijit Gupta criticizes the federation over non-payment of Rs 5.5 lakh prize money | Chess News –

New Delhi: Arjuna Award winner Abhijit Gupta, who became the first Indian to win five Commonwealth Chess Championship titles, has sparked a widespread conversation on the treatment of athletes in India after taking to X (formerly Twitter) to reveal that his prize money for winning the Odisha GM Open in January 2026 remains unpaid.In an exclusive conversation with TimesofIndia.com on Saturday, the GM expressed frustration over the lack of accountability from the tournament organizers and the All India Chess Federation (AICF).

The tournament, which included several top masters, concluded on January 24, 2026. Category A received a total prize pool of Rs 25 lakh, with the winner set to receive Rs 5.5 lakh. Initially, Gupta was told that his profits would be transferred within two weeks.“At that time, the organizer told me that your prize money will be transferred within two weeks, so please don’t worry… we are very busy.” “It didn’t bother me much because it is standard practice in India not to award the prize money in cash,” Gupta, who bagged the title with a score of 8/10, told this website.However, weeks turned into months. After a follow-up in March, communications from organizers stopped.

“After a few months, they stopped responding altogether,” he added.Gupta, who received the prestigious Arjuna Award in 2013, subsequently reached out to the AFC, stating that the tournament was officially affiliated with the national body.“I felt that AICF is also responsible… If it is affiliated with AICF, there should be some accountability,” Gupta added.Despite sending multiple emails to the Federation President and Secretary since March, the GM has not received any response.

For 36-year-old Gupta, the issue goes beyond his personal finances, as he is deeply concerned about the precedent this sets for the next generation of Indian chess prodigies.“I’m already at that stage of my career where money doesn’t matter much. But imagine if a 10-year-old wins his first award and doesn’t get it, what kind of precedent will we set? If this can happen to someone who has been honored with the Arjuna Award, one can only imagine the struggles players face at the grassroots level,” he said.In his post on X, Gupta called on the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to intervene, demanding transparency and protection of “the dignity and trust of every chess player in India.”

Meanwhile, following the social media furore, AICF president Nitin Narang reached out to GM Gupta, who wrote on X: “All India Chess Federation President @narangnitin ji called me and assured me that necessary action has been taken.”