Arjuna awardee GM Abhijeet Gupta makes shocking claim: 'AICF yet to pay prize money for Odisha Open win'

Indian Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta has said that the All India Chess Federation (AICF) has not yet paid him the prize money for winning the 2026 Odisha Open which took place in January. Taking to X, Gupta, who is also an Arjuna Award winner, said that the organisers of the tournament and the federation are not responding to his requests.

Odisha Open 2026 took place from January 16 to 24 with Gupta leading the field with a brilliant score of 8/10. After his victory, Gupta was told that he would be awarded with the prize money within a month. However, it is yet to arrive, prompting the grandmaster to put out a post on X calling for help.

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Abhijeet Gupta pleads for help

Gupta, is the first player to win the Commonwealth Chess Championship five times, has called the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to look into the matter. He has said that the issue is not just his money but the dignity and trust of every chess player in India that is at stake.

"As a sportsperson, you learn to accept losses more often than victories — that is part of the journey. But what hurts even more is winning and still not receiving what you rightfully earned. I won the Odisha Open in January 2026. The organizers assured me that the prize money would be paid within a month. However, when I followed up later, they stopped responding.

"Since the tournament was affiliated with the All India Chess Federation, I also reached out to the federation’s president and secretary, hoping the matter would be resolved fairly. Unfortunately, there has been no response from them either.

"If this can happen to someone honoured with the Arjuna Award, one can only imagine the struggles faced by players at the grassroots level of chess in India," Gupta wrote in his plea.

He further added, "I kindly request the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to look into this matter and help ensure that players receive their rightful prize money with transparency and accountability.

"This is not just about one unpaid prize. It is about protecting the dignity and trust of every chess player in India."

Gupta was part of the 2012 Indian Chess Olympiad team in Istanbul, Turkey, where he won an individual silver medal.

AICF is yet to respond to the allegations.