Prime Minister inspires seven-year old World School Chess Champion
Seven-year-old chess prodigy Vaka Lakshmi Pragnika from Surat, Gujarat, was conferred the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar at a ceremony held in New Delhi on 26th December. The award was presented by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, in recognition of her exceptional achievements in the field of sports. Vaka Lakshmi Pragnika brought international recognition to India by winning the Under-7 Girls title at the 2025 FIDE World Schools Chess Championship in Serbia, where she scored a perfect 9 out of 9 points. This feat is considered historic as it marks the first time a player has achieved a flawless score at the World Schools Chess Championship. Pragnika’s mother Praveena, when asked about Pragnika’s meeting with Prime Minister by the Times of India revealed, “Initially, she was a little nervous. She said she wants to be the best chess player in the world when she grows up, and in reply, PM Modi sir inspired her. It was a historic moment for all of us.” Pragnika is presently busy participating in the Under-9 chess tournament in Guwahati. Pragnika was admitted to a chess coaching centre in Surat as her parents tried to keep both the sisters engaged. During the COVID-19 Pragnika and her sister started learning online chess under the guidance of Vickey Chauhan. Coach also had a huge appreciation for his student as he stated, “Pragmika’s strength is her temperament. She is courageous, rough, and tough. While playing, a chess player needs these ingredients the most.”
