2 weeks ago
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Renowned Indian Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta has been near frustrated successful his attempts to unafraid the prize wealth for the Odisha Open rubric helium won earlier this year, with repeated assurances from the organisers yielding nary result.
Despite penning respective letters to the All India Chess Federation, the Chess Olympiad medallist is yet to person the payment, forcing him to question involution from the Sports Ministry. Sources said the Odisha relation is embroiled successful infighting, with its slope relationship frozen, leaving the organisers incapable to wide the dues.
"I kindly petition the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to look into this substance and assistance guarantee that players person their rightful prize wealth with transparency and accountability," wrote the 36-year-old Mr. Gupta, the archetypal subordinate to triumph the Commonwealth Chess Championship 5 times, connected 'X'.
"This is not conscionable astir 1 unpaid prize. It is astir protecting the dignity and spot of each chess subordinate successful India." Mr. Gupta besides told PTI that the organisers beryllium him ₹5.5 lakh successful prize wealth for the tourney helium won successful January.
"I won the Odisha Open successful January 2026. The organisers assured maine that the prize wealth would beryllium paid wrong a month. However, erstwhile I followed up later, they stopped responding," helium said.
As a sportsperson, you larn to judge losses much often than victories — that is portion of the journey. But what hurts adjacent much is winning and inactive not receiving what you rightfully earned.
I won the Odisha Open successful January 2026. The organizers assured maine that the prize money…
"As a sportsperson, you larn to judge losses much often than victories — that is portion of the journey. But what hurts adjacent much is winning and inactive not receiving what you rightfully earned." A root successful the AICF said the organisers of the Odisha Open were incapable to wage Mr. Gupta due to the fact that their slope relationship had been frozen amid infighting wrong the State association.
"There is infighting wrong the association, with rival factions locked successful a dispute, due to the fact that of which the relationship has been frozen and players are not getting their dues," the root said. Mr. Gupta besides wrote that helium had tried reaching retired to the AICF but received nary response.
"Since the tourney was affiliated with the All India Chess Federation, I besides reached retired to the federation's president and secretary, hoping the substance would beryllium resolved fairly. Unfortunately, determination has been nary effect from them either.
"If this tin hap to idiosyncratic honoured with the Arjuna Award, 1 tin lone ideate the struggles faced by players astatine the grassroots level of chess successful India," added Mr. Gupta.
A elder AICF official, however, said connected information of anonymity that the federation had "reached out" to Mr. Gupta.
"I americium 100% definite that the contented volition beryllium resolved soon. The thought is to enactment for the players. Let america recognize the contented [with Odisha association] and past we volition resoluteness it," the authoritative added.
Mr. Gupta said helium was forced to rise the contented connected societal media arsenic astir 4 months had passed since helium won the title, but each helium had received were repeated assurances.
"The infighting successful the [Odisha association] has been going connected for years. They conducted the tournament, and it was affiliated with the AICF. So determination has to beryllium immoderate work connected the portion of the nationalist federation.
"I wholly recognize that [their relationship mightiness person been frozen], but arsenic a player, what should I do? They should not person held the tourney successful the archetypal place. As a sportsperson, you triumph precise fewer tournaments and you suffer more. That's what I consciousness successful general," added Mr. Gupta.
