Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Wednesday presented a cheque for Rs 2 crore to Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand for winning the World Chess Championship crown for the fifth time.
Anand, along with his wife Aruna, called on Ms. Jayalalithaa at the state secretariat where she complimented the world champion for his achievement.
The Chief Minister had earlier sent a letter to Anand saying that he had brought laurels both to Tamil Nadu and India and announced a reward of Rs 2 crore.
Describing his meeting with the Chief Minister as “incredibly nice”, Anand thanked her for the efforts of the state government in promoting chess among the students.
Thanking Ms. Jayalalithaa for the cash reward, Anand also backed the idea of corporate support for chess, saying it will help the sport.
Ms. Jayalalithaa had recently said that Anand deserves Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award.
Anand defeated challenger Boris Gelfand of Israel in a tense rapid chess tie-breaker to win the World Championship crown for the fourth time in a row in Moscow on May 30.
The state government has brought out a booklet in honour of Anand, fondly called as Vishy Anand, detailing his achievements from 1986 to 2012.
The information material, published by Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT), termed him as the “Pride of Chennai -- The Greatest Chess Player”, and praised him for bringing an “Anand Wave” to inspire more Indians take to the game.
Recognition of Games/Sports persons for their achievement is a must. But there is a limit for everything. Games like Football, Hockey, Basket ball, Volley ball requires Both Physical and Mental ability for success. Giving prize amount for players should be limited up to one or Two lakhs. If he is poor and not owned any house, he can be given a House plot at the maximum. Don't make people's hard work as mockery. Who ever wish to honour others can spend their own money and even 25 crores can be given from their pocket, no body will ask and not the Government Property. So many people welfare projects worth to Lakhs are waiting for want of fund from Government. Government is also singing the same song of no fund. Then what is the need of emotionally giving 200 lakhs for a millionaire. Top level politicians should have Good advisers with them and they should be consulted before doing a thing. That was the situation the olden Kings had-like 'Thennali'
Yes Jayalalithaa has made a very strong move !!, and she is a very rare
politician to understand the concept of being a World Champion. But who
will educate 75% Indians(including Indian journalists) who cannot make a
difference between Sachin's 100 centuries and Anand's giant success?.
It's now impossible to emulate Anand's success by any Indian. Yes you
may surely get more and more century hitters each in century in India.
Ms Ranjana Mohan: Regarding your suggestion of offering a doctorate to Anand, Hyderabad university tried to do exactly that in 2010 and doubts were cast on Anand's citizenship and the award was finally refused after Anand travelled to Hyderabad. In a country where moviestars complain about being detained in another country for two hours longer, the World Champion in Chess never complained about these humiliations, even though he has always remained an Indian Citizen. From 2007-2011, Anand was given no recognition by the DMK government, as it believes that achievements of a person of the forward class are not achievements. All that Amma is doing is giving belated recognition to Anand for five world titles, not just the recent one.
chess king anand is a great inspirer for all sports in chess and i am proud and happy about my grandson sri vignesh raman, is a mater stroke player of chess and also conducting classes for all ages every week to infuse more people to learn this great game.we bless anand further success in his life and i furtrher congratulate Ms jayalalitha for honouring mr.anand with a great donation of 2 crores for further development of chess in tamilnadu.I still hold the oldest chess coins presented to my father in 19th centeruy by Bertand Powel , the first viceroy of India when he as first scout master from Tamilnadu from Hindu High school chennai 5
It is highly deplorable for Jayalaitha to present this huge sum when the state is reeling under finacial crisis. She did not hestitate to raise charges on basic services affecting the poor citing finacial crisis. Who gave her right to donate public money to sportsperson and thereby insulting them. Hope Anand puts it in use for public cause and continue to shine by setting example.
ok Good, as of now Rs.2 crores is huge amount. country facing lot of financial and price issues. Politicians and officers to think twice before spending the peoples hard earned money.
There is no denying the fact that Anand has done India,especially Tamil Nadu proud. He deserves much more than a cash award. The government could have donated the amount to start a chess school in his name. This would have honoured Anand a great deal more as much as it would provide an opportunity to numerous Indian children to master the game. Anand could donate it back to Tamil Nadu to start a chess school. This would delight everybody.
Congrats Anand! You got a million plus US dollars as prize money...do you really think you need this 2 Crore when millions of your people live in poverty and government can use this money for some important causes than to make you 'further' rich? I am sure you are going to be kind and give this to a charity... perhaps tells these politicians that you will be just happy getting a recognition and not the money! I for sure don't like my tax money going this way even though I think you have done the impossible!
To all those complain about the 2 crore award to Anand - this is not something special only
for him. TN Govt has policy to award persons that win Gold medal in Olympics or World
cup. During DMK's rule it was 1 crore and it got changed to 2 crore early this year.
To reward him with cash or not. Surely it's a double-edged sword. If only a trifling was awarded, our public would have railed against that from Annanagar to Zam Bazaar regarding how we pay short shrift to Chess versus Cricket. And as can be seen from most comments above, give him a substantial sum and hey presto, the critics are swarming out of the woodwork again!
Congrats both to Anand as well as our CM here, for standing by her convictions and going with what she felt was right in awarding him this goodly sum. Appropriatness of the sum be damned, my opinion is - back this kind of encouragement given to Sports of any kind. The message is - "Do really well, and you'll get well rewarded". What's wrong with that message being given to aspiring young chess players and Anand wannabes?
Agree that Anand is a great man of honor, and pride of our nation. He is undoubtedly the only one who holds up the game(in this cricket obsessed nation)! But spending common man's money like this makes no sense. When there are a thousand people dying of hunger everyday, how can someone do such things! He did not need the money obviously. Money is not the only way to honor people. They could have conferred a title upon him, opened a school in his name, honored him with a doctorate. At least have little concern for the citizens of this country!
I don't understand why such a gripe on TN govt honouring Anand with a cash award of Rs.2 crore.He is a 5 times world champion with 4 in a row.If awarding such giant performance is a waste as per some of the comments made by dwarfs then govt funding of sports, games, fine arts,culture where a brilliance is recognised and rewarded is also a waste.Already the political class is engaged in nurturing and promoting less talents in the name of social justice.When Yuvraj Singh was rewarded with Rs.1 crore by Punjab govt.just for hitting 6 balls to six continuously nobody objected because it was CRICKET.Poor Anand he is only 5 times world champion in chess.
Let state gov announce even 100 crores for the winner of world championship in chess or for that matter any sport. I am sure except for the people of anand's calibre and hardwork,none can win. Anand has inspired lakhs of people in india to take to sport.Chess is not like cricket where only few countries take part.Anand has overcome 50 plus country players in the past to reach this level and remained there as king challenged by very few in the world and brought laurels to india and the state severl years without any support from govt or media or even corporate companies except for one NIIT. What govt has given as 2 crore is very very less when compared to IPL players and film actors.
The Chief Minister needs to be thanked for recognizing the achievement of Vishy Anand. My hearty congratulations to Vishy Anand for winning the world Chess Championship for the fifth time. Not long ago, Chess was seen as a Game of High Intellectuals in Soviet Russia and USA only. Indian Boys have proved themselves more than equal to any of them.
This is too much. Anand is not a poor man. Sports men of current generation has different
avenues to make money.
I think the governments shoud stop this award business.
No doubts Mr Anand's victory is a greatest event.However, TN govt's gift for Mr Anand Rs 2crores seem to be excess in view of the spnorship amount USD1.5 millions given to the winner.If TN Govt is more enthusiastic, then it may announce a award in the name of Mr Anand.The rural students can be given imported books on chess games at a subsidized rate.
While the achievement of Viswanathan Anand was of a very high caliber,'the idea of a' Rs 2,00,00,000/ award to him was no where
near that height!Revolutionary Leader of her standing could have
honoured him with something other than CASH.
Why is this lady wasting our tax payer's money? And why is Anand getting paid 2 Crores? I hope she knows that he is not playing chess for free.
Politicians are so generous in rewarding the sports persons. But when it comes to spending the money for the poor people affected by natural calamities and other disaster they blame the Center or state governments for lack of funds. They dont have money to spend on the security, proper drinking water, sanitation, education, and the list goes on. They should be more responsible when giving away such huge amounts. I am not undermining the achievement done by Vishy, he is a true World Champion. There are other ways to reward such achievements.
Pride of Chennai? Pride of India is more appropriate!
Anand is also an Indian and Indian Government should acknowledge his
great achievement by giving him Bharat Ratna.
Vishy must start a Chess training school by using this money
Bravo Anand ! Bravo Jayaji ! Kudos !
This is surely an abuse of tax-payers' money. Not to detract from Anand's achievement (and he is indeed surely the pride of Chennai), but it is irresponsible on the CM's part to hand out a non-trifling amount of the people's money to a celebrity, who surely does not lack for financial resources, in this manner. Why not just give a plaque in recognition of his achievement? Is a cash award (that too this much!) really necessary? It is incumbent on the press to highlight this issue since TN people should not be conditioned in to not questioning how their money is spent by the state government.
kudos to sir Anand and government. ......Good work Tamil Nadu government
...Keep it up and try to give rewards to all player in-spite of their
individual fame
great achievement. congratulations...
It is time Anand starts a school to train chess to deserving students
freely with the prize money.
Excellent gesture from a state government for Sports which will
definitely sent a positive note to youngsters to master themselves in
the area of interest. Sports, one area where India require achievements
need all round support further more from State and Central Government
besides corporate.
Truly, Viswanathan Anand India’s highest civilian award.
Really Ms. Jayalalitha needs praise for honouring a great champion who brought laurels to the country. When politicians like Pawar, Arun Jaitly, Rajeev Shukla are running after cricketeres, she has the courage to commend real sportsmen
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