Defined: Why the Indian chess neighborhood is upset over scrapped money prizes
At a time when Indian chess is reaching new heights, the Sports activities Ministry has dropped a bombshell by eliminating a key reward system as a part of sweeping adjustments to its money prize coverage for athletes.
As per new directives efficient from February 1, the ministry has scrapped money prizes for athletes profitable junior worldwide competitions to curb age fraud. Moreover, money awards for senior athletes profitable the Commonwealth Championship and South Asian Video games have additionally been eliminated, based on The Indian Categorical.
Whereas these measures could also be comprehensible, the ministry’s choice to discontinue money rewards for chess gamers attaining Grandmaster and Worldwide Grasp titles has come as a significant shock.
Beforehand, chess gamers attaining the Grandmaster title have been awarded Rs 4 lakh, whereas these attaining the Worldwide Grasp title obtained Rs 1.5 lakh. This prize was relevant to gamers who secured these prestigious titles earlier than turning 20. Now, prize cash will solely be awarded to gamers profitable worldwide chess competitions.
The choice, which comes simply months after D Gukesh turned the youngest man to win the World Championship, has raised eyebrows. Final 12 months, Koneru Humpy made historical past by profitable the World Blitz Championship in america, whereas India’s males’s and girls’s groups claimed gold within the Chess Olympiad in a historic double victory.
Extra lately, R Praggnanandhaa triumphed on the Tata Metal Chess event, sometimes called the “Wimbledon of Chess.”
India presently has 85 Grandmasters and a rising pool of younger expertise impressed by the success of teenage Grandmasters like Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa.
‘DEMOTIVATING FOR PARENTS’
Arjun Erigaisi, who turned a Grandmaster at simply 14, expressed his disappointment with the choice. The 21-year-old, solely the second Indian after Viswanathan Anand to realize an ELO ranking of 2800, voiced his issues about its potential impression.
“Whether it is truly the case that it’s stopped now, then it’s undoubtedly not one thing that may demotivate lots of younger kids, as they don’t care concerning the cash facet,” Erigaisi informed PTI.
“However it’s perhaps (demotivating) for the mother and father. Once they should make monetary selections, what occurs after turning into a Grandmaster turns into a query.
“And if there’s some motivation like this, then there are extra probabilities that they might encourage their kids when selecting between chess and research. It’s not superb.”
CHESS FEDERATION NOT CONSULTED?
In the meantime, All India Chess Federation (AICF) vice-president Dibyendu Barua revealed that the governing physique was not consulted by the Sports activities Ministry earlier than the choice was made.
“No, we didn’t know. The AICF has not been consulted. They took the choice completely with out consulting the All India Chess Federation. Positively, it’s not a great signal. As a participant, I might say I don’t agree with this,” Barua, India’s second Grandmaster, informed Hindustan Instances.
Grandmaster Srinath Narayanan, a famend coach, additionally criticised the choice, arguing that awards and rewards are a lifeline for a lot of promising gamers.
“This can be a unhappy improvement. Awards and funds are the lifeline of many promising gamers beneath 20. In observe, I can think about this transfer negatively impacting many upcoming skills. I’ve been knowledgeable that among the current awards earned by this achievement have additionally not been disbursed but,” he stated.
Whereas getting a chessboard and studying the sport shouldn’t be costly, staying in tune with the newest methods and competing in worldwide occasions for publicity requires vital monetary help. Whereas icons like Viswanathan Anand have established academies to nurture younger expertise by offering financial support and entry to prime coaches, not all budding gamers have such sources. Teaching from Grandmasters has additionally develop into more and more costly.
Dibyendu Barua confirmed that the AICF will write to the Sports activities Ministry, urging it to rethink the choice.
