The tournament, which featured multiple grandmasters, concluded on January 24, 2026. The total prize money was Rs 45 lakh, of which the winner was scheduled to get Rs 5.5 lakh. Initially, Gupta was told that his winning amount would be transferred within a couple of weeks.“At that time, I was told by the organizer, ‘Your prize money will be transferred in a few weeks, so please don’t worry… we are very busy.’ I didn’t face much trouble as it is a common practice in India that they do not give the prize money in cash,” Gupta, who won the title with a score of 8/10, told this website.However, weeks turned into months. After follow-up in March, communication went silent from the organizers. “After a few months, they stopped responding altogether,” he said.Gupta, who received the prestigious Arjuna Award In 2013, the latter approached the AICF, noting that the tournament was officially affiliated with the national body.“I felt the AICF was also responsible… If it is under the AICF, there should be some accountability,” Gupta said.Despite sending several emails to the federation president and secretary since March, the GM has not received any response. For 36-year-old Gupta, the issue is about much more than his personal finances, as he is deeply concerned about the precedent this sets for the next generation of Indian chess talent.He said, “I am already at that stage of my career where money doesn’t matter much. But imagine if a 10-year-old kid wins his first award and doesn’t get it, what kind of precedent are we setting? If this can happen to someone awarded the Arjuna Award, one can only imagine the struggle of players at the grassroots level.”Gupta’s post on X calls for intervention from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, demanding transparency and protecting “the dignity and confidence of every chess player in India”.Asked whether he would take next steps if the silence continued, Gupta remained cautious: “I haven’t decided anything yet. I’ll see how it goes.”