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. 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. @aicfchess @mansukhmandviya @YASMinistry @FirstpostSports @narangnitin @IndiaSports @MohanMOdisha @Media_SAI @FIDE_chess @PTI_News @sports_odisha