Sports Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar on Thursday announced that the government will honour Goa's young chess Grandmaster Anurag Mhamal with a cash prize of Rs five lakhs within two months time.
Panaji
Speaking in the Legislative Assembly on the congratulatory motion moved by Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral -- who heads the Goa Chess Association, Ajgaonkar said, "I assure the House that my department will give a cash prize Rs five lakhs to our Grandmaster Anurag within two months to encourage him to achieve greater
heights."
Mhamal is the first Goa's first grandmaster and India's 48th grandmaster in international chess. He is Dempo's Goodwill Ambassador.
On July 10, he defeated his 2381-rated opponent IM Romeo-Sorin Milu and crossed the magical 2500 Elo mark to become a Grandmaster. He is being coached by Nagpur-based
Akash Thakur.
