Bhubaneswar: Indian chess Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta has alleged that he is yet to receive the Rs 5.5 lakh winner’s prize money months after clinching the Odisha Open chess tournament title earlier this year, triggering concerns over transparency and accountability in Indian chess administration.
The Arjuna Awardee raised the issue publicly through a detailed post on X, where he claimed that despite repeated follow-ups, the tournament organisers failed to release the promised prize money.
Gupta stated that he had won the Odisha Open in January 2026 and was initially assured that the payment would be made within a month. However, according to the veteran Grandmaster, communication from the organisers later stopped completely.
In his statement, Gupta expressed disappointment over the situation and said the issue went beyond one unpaid prize amount.
He further revealed that since the tournament was affiliated with the All India Chess Federation, he also approached the federation’s president and secretary seeking intervention. However, he initially did not receive any response.
Tagging multiple authorities and sports bodies, including the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Gupta urged authorities to ensure transparency and accountability in the handling of players’ prize money.
The Grandmaster said sportspersons are accustomed to handling defeats, but winning a tournament and still not receiving rightful earnings was deeply disheartening.
Gupta also highlighted the larger concern facing Indian chess players, stating that if such a situation could happen to an Arjuna Award recipient, the struggles faced by grassroots players could be far more severe.
The issue quickly gained attention within the chess community and across social media platforms, with many users expressing concern over delayed prize disbursements in sports tournaments.
Later, Gupta shared an update stating that the President of the All India Chess Federation, Nitin Narang, had personally contacted him and assured him that necessary action had already been initiated regarding the matter.
While the assurance from the federation president has brought some relief, the controversy has once again put the spotlight on financial transparency, player welfare, and administrative accountability in Indian chess tournaments.
The organisers of the Odisha Open tournament have not yet issued a public response regarding Gupta’s allegations.
