Pragg ends South India’s 14 year wait for chess Arjuna Award

Pragg ends South India’s 14-year wait for chess Arjuna Award

Tamil Nadu By Ajay Tomar November 16, 2022 Read the article

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa is the first chess player in 14 years from the southern states to win the Arjuna Award.

[{"selector":"#anim-5e4922c4-ff4f-4666-a58d-41702b42da2b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6314c5f0-a746-4b43-8075-3612a659c0a8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 36.34419%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-824149e4-b39e-4e79-81af-9b1d5af686a5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-31fe7f57-a6cb-4924-b7be-489572cf07e7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 153.96829%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1444e3f0-dca4-458e-b566-852f446d7d29 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-41.48220477179831%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d5ef7168-8a0e-4ee6-a0ec-6fb531c15926","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-109.88372%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-63c273b9-230d-408f-b4a4-ecdc3abb8cd3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ac7fbade-114a-438c-8f9c-31cb470c360a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] Tamil Nadu Read the article

The Arjuna Award is the second-highest sporting honour in India after the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.

[{"selector":"#anim-2b9654c4-52a9-42e2-bbf0-a47a5c51b982","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c53655be-61d0-40eb-942c-b212b2c93f3b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 38.26991%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-36311fa4-8d1d-4047-8992-daf1d6d920eb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-379fcb0a-bd1d-4e3a-86b3-44238f613c54","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 143.68856%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4ee089f9-c5ad-4c9e-8db9-d481c88e0fa0 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-26.38464137286965%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Tamil Nadu Read the article

Earlier this year, the Chennai chess prodigy became the then-youngest player to beat the world champion, Magnus Carlsen.

[{"selector":"#anim-8249fd24-22bb-4905-9f26-06d3baa9f20c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d0f30fe6-cec9-45ab-a5f7-8572a27edef6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 39.37032%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-db59283e-c0a6-4966-836c-1a0afb7b84eb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-188c7fb3-e328-41f3-865e-ae9cc0e68cd3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 142.32804%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8494a171-738b-4f68-9ca4-9ccfa82170ce [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-57.98611099733684%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Tamil Nadu Read the article

Pragg is currently at the Meltwater Champions Tour Finals in San Francisco with his coach RB Ramesh, where Carlsen is also participating.

[{"selector":"#anim-2e1578a1-21c7-41a8-adc9-a0a0457e65f6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a86f484e-4c9b-4072-a47e-13d716edaaae","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 39.64542%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4c7fc352-3886-4893-baf8-2910e42d9115","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7d6c9931-eabc-48de-8d55-f7dd66c3a8f3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 143.68856%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cd0644e3-8f84-4272-8866-3df058b36c6f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-12.665928976998126%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Tamil Nadu Read the article

Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta from Rajasthan was the last chess player to have won the Arjuna Award way back in 2013.

[{"selector":"#anim-650365d3-1a94-41fe-a6d6-f365a1d55af7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9f69b307-a93c-4849-a3b7-44480d0cfdc1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 39.64542%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a0b5616c-e485-400f-b1c3-65db3a696882","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4079cc23-3212-40e8-8f3f-de89ae02ae10","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 143.68856%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8bbc90b3-56c6-4490-8c2f-09b21a82ca07 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-24.479166496005266%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Tamil Nadu Read the article

The last South Indian chess player given the Arjuna Award was Dronavalli Harika from Andhra Pradesh in 2008.

[{"selector":"#anim-c96f1ea2-a3b2-4e87-a4ba-39c011c05b35","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-581ed62b-07ee-4764-a317-8e8d92705eeb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 39.37032%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d8639df5-27a0-420e-ae8b-5c65674d2fc7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ed554016-ba7b-42bd-bd77-c27538d558e8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 142.32804%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c54991c1-a4c6-4c77-8513-82a46d1a4458 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-33.78191525083285%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Tamil Nadu Read the article

In 2008, India had 18 grandmasters. The number has since skyrocketed to 76, of which 27 are from Tamil Nadu.

[{"selector":"#anim-116408d8-b37a-4af6-8758-b2ffbd3d756e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ec29c3e4-5a79-496c-9678-9a654c001fd0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 39.23277%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-da294149-8d1c-4c5e-b277-dc56f4cf8496","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-724ef245-3c85-4389-b8bd-38664e09c1c2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 141.64777%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b3518ea7-814d-48c1-9e8d-fee4f64a876f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-36.72003695452078%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Tamil Nadu Read the article

“He [Pragg] is capable of becoming the world champion,” said Anantharam R, vice-president of the Tamil Nadu State Chess Association.

[{"selector":"#anim-4e3a47a1-2d44-407e-bb86-2feb003680dd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-82760797-c841-4482-96f8-d975839f4644","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 39.64542%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0ba0776d-6738-4af8-9f17-34f2f6b7e247","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d8f57463-622a-45a3-96bb-24e9c1f53f4b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 143.68856%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-42c8dde9-8405-4fab-b608-4f1fee75f50d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(13.549996716794727%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Tamil Nadu Read the article

International Master Bhakti Kulkarni from Goa has also been awarded the Arjuna Award for chess, becoming the state’s first woman recipient.

[{"selector":"#anim-ffc98af5-c603-41b2-814d-e317a8d3c59b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7332c571-bbbc-4aa4-80ba-e64a614d4052","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 43.77197%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e861243f-4639-49d4-8d6b-77dacba4bc6e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-df33f4b5-1ddc-417b-8a43-c28c805dbf70","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 137.05809%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c1813c09-1f21-40eb-9a06-691fa8158e42 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-14.443393168343855%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Tamil Nadu Read the article

[{"selector":"#anim-9c8bf07f-4972-4ef3-93cb-3617edb60029","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-109.71015%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-51763afa-5137-4285-bd29-12b15666a6dd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-edc64286-4494-4946-99e2-690b16492c85","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-666689ec-bdaf-43d1-a137-8e9ffd078739 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-17.857142662101253%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Tamil Nadu Read the article

Pragg’s school, Velammal, supported him and his sister, Woman Grandmaster Vaishali, with free education at a time when they were struggling financially.

[{"selector":"#anim-205f5db7-beb8-4ced-9b6b-eec4cd37ab74","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c19d4896-8346-4591-af99-86417b41c253","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 43.77197%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4fffcbc7-1f78-47b0-b737-9f06979df10a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3ce40d0d-647c-4fe4-8082-ccb8287f5df6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 137.05809%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bf31cef0-caea-41e2-9939-ef98411d2ef6 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-26.763454771798312%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Tamil Nadu Read the article

The youngest sportsperson ever to win an Arjuna Award was 14-year old swimmer Kutraleeswaran Ramesh, who swam across six channels in a year.

[{"selector":"#anim-b6da7a1f-eb40-422f-8f5e-2fbdeb01b480","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6918442f-8ad1-49d6-86fd-644e02c91b0b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 43.77197%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-47250baa-c2cd-4cd2-9468-fe860aa388e7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aba881e9-d82c-455e-ace6-e125bc4e3745","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 136.28372%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5ce0d021-574d-4ec9-9931-21f9c9efee23 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-9.738780100726158%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Tamil Nadu Read the article