“It’s not something ideal” - World No. 4 Arjun Erigaisi voices his concerns on the discontinuation of cash rewards for chess titles

Indian Chess Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi has voiced his concerns over the government’s decision to discontinue cash rewards for achieving Grandmaster (GM) and International Master (IM) titles, calling it "not something ideal."

The 21-year-old believes that while young players may not be directly demotivated, it places an additional financial burden on their parents, who often make crucial decisions regarding their children’s chess careers.

“If it is actually the case that it is stopped now, then it’s definitely not something that would demotivate a lot of young children as they don’t care about the money aspect,” Erigaisi told PTI.

“But it is maybe (demotivating) for the parents. When they have to make some financial calls, then what would happen after becoming a Grandmaster would be a question. And if there is some motivation like this, then there are more chances that they would encourage their children if they have to make a call between chess and studies. It’s not something ideal," he added.

Erigaisi, one of India’s brightest chess stars, has had a stellar rise in the sport. In 2024, he became only the second Indian, after Viswanathan Anand, to cross the 2800 ELO rating mark and was part of India’s gold-medal-winning team at the Chess Olympiad. However, his start to 2025 has been less than ideal, finishing 10th at the Tata Steel Chess tournament.

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Potential impact of discontinuation of cash rewards on chess players

The Sports Ministry recently revised its 'Scheme of Cash Awards to Medal Winners in International Sports Events and their Coaches,' which came into effect on February 1. Under the new rules, cash incentives will now be awarded only for world-level achievements, eliminating the previous rewards of ₹4 lakh for GM titles and ₹1.5 lakh for IM and Women International Master (WIM) titles. The revised scheme also removes cash prizes for junior international medalists across all sports.

For years, these incentives have helped ease the financial strain on aspiring chess players and their families. Unlike other sports, chess players rely heavily on private sponsorships and self-funding for training, travel, and tournament participation. The removal of cash rewards could make it harder for emerging talents to continue their pursuit of excellence, especially those from middle-class and lower-income backgrounds.