NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday announced a whopping Rs 5 crore cash prize for teen Indian Grand Master D Gukesh, who recently became the youngest ever world chess champion.
Gukesh on Thursday beat defending champion Ding Liren of China in a roller-coaster 14-game showdown to clinch the title.
After the contesrt went down to the wire, the 18-year-old beat Liren in the 14th and final game to emerge champion, securing the requisite 7.5 points as against 6.5 of the former champion.
After Gukesh's historical win, TN CM Stalin was in all praise for the champion, highlighting that his victory brough 'immense pride and joy to the nation'.
Before Gukesh's title-clinching win, legendary Garry Kasparov of Russia was the youngest world champion, when he won the title at the age of 22, dethroning Anatoly Karpov in 1985.
"I was dreaming this moment for the last 10 years. I am happy that I realised the dream (and made it) into reality," said Gukesh after his historic triumph.
"I got a bit emotional because I was not expecting to win. But then I got a chance to press on," he added.
Gukesh entered the World Chess Championship as the youngest ever challenger after winning the Candidates tournament earlier this year.
He is the second Indian after the legendary Viswanathan Anand to win the global title.
Anand, a five-time world champion, had last held the title in 2013 before going down to Magnus Carlsen.
Gukesh, who won the 14th game against Liren after 58 moves in four hours, is the 18th world chess champion overall.
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