Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta Faces Delays in Prize Money for Odisha Open Title Amid Organisational Turmoil

Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta’s Prize Money Woes: A Call for Accountability in Indian Chess

New Delhi — Renowned Indian Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta, a celebrated figure in the chess community, is facing a frustrating battle to secure the ₹5.5 lakh prize money from the Odisha Open, a title he clinched earlier this year. Despite multiple assurances from the tournament organizers, Gupta has yet to receive the funds, prompting him to seek intervention from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

The 36-year-old chess prodigy, who has made history as the first player to win the Commonwealth Chess Championship five times, took to social media platform ‘X’ to express his concerns. “I kindly request the Ministry to look into this matter and help ensure that players receive their rightful prize money with transparency and accountability,” Gupta stated, emphasizing that this issue transcends his personal grievances. “It is about protecting the dignity and trust of every chess player in India.”

Gupta’s frustrations stem from a lack of communication from the organizers, who initially assured him that the prize money would be disbursed within a month of his victory in January. “When I followed up later, they stopped responding,” he lamented.

Sources close to the situation revealed that the Odisha Chess Association is currently embroiled in internal disputes, leading to the freezing of its bank account. This has left the organizers unable to fulfill their financial obligations to players. “There is infighting within the association, with rival factions locked in a dispute, which is why players are not getting their dues,” a source from the All India Chess Federation (AICF) disclosed.

Gupta’s plight raises broader concerns about the treatment of chess players in India, particularly those at the grassroots level. “If this can happen to someone honoured with the Arjuna Award, one can only imagine the struggles faced by players at the grassroots level of chess in India,” he remarked.

In his efforts to resolve the issue, Gupta reached out to the AICF, but reported receiving no response. “Since the tournament was affiliated with the AICF, I hoped the matter would be resolved fairly. Unfortunately, there has been no response from them either,” he said.

While a senior AICF official, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed that the federation had “reached out” to Gupta, he assured that the issue would be resolved soon. “The idea is to work for the players. Let us understand the issue and then we will resolve it,” the official added.

As Gupta continues to navigate this challenging situation, he remains hopeful for a resolution. “The infighting has been going on for years. They conducted the tournament and it was affiliated by the AICF, so there has to be some responsibility on the part of the national federation,” he stated.

The chess community and sports enthusiasts alike are watching closely, as Gupta’s experience highlights the urgent need for accountability and transparency in the management of chess tournaments in India.