Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta Seeks Sports Ministry Intervention Over Unpaid Odisha Open Prize Money

Indian Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta has formally requested intervention from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to recover ₹5.5 lakh in unpaid prize money from the Odisha Open chess tournament, which he won in January 2026. Despite repeated assurances from organisers and affiliation with the All India Chess Federation (AICF), Gupta has not received payment nearly four months after his victory.

Gupta stated he had written to both the AICF president and secretary but received no response, prompting him to escalate the matter publicly via social media and official channels. Organisers have reportedly been unable to disburse funds due to a frozen bank account, a result of ongoing infighting within the Odisha State Chess Association, according to AICF sources.

The AICF acknowledged the dispute and confirmed it had reached out to Gupta, with a senior official stating the issue would be resolved soon. The official, speaking anonymously, emphasized the federation's commitment to player welfare and said efforts were underway to address the administrative breakdown in Odisha.

Gupta, a five-time Commonwealth Chess Champion and Arjuna Awardee, warned that the incident undermines trust in the sport's governance, particularly for grassroots players. He questioned the decision to host the event under AICF affiliation amid known administrative instability.

The Sports Ministry has not yet issued a public response, but the AICF said it expects to resolve the matter in the coming weeks as it coordinates with state officials and financial authorities to release the dues.