World Champion Gukesh D Honored with ₹1 Crore at Velammal Nexus

by Abhyudaya Ram - 05/03/2025

On February 28, 2025, the Velammal Nexus School in Chennai organized a felicitation program for the youngest World Chess Champion, D Gukesh. Gukesh is a student of this school! Last time, after he won the Candidates Tournament, the school gifted him a Mercedes-Benz. This time, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Indian chess, Velammal Nexus Correspondent Shri M.V.M. Velmohan and Deputy Correspondent Mr. Shriram Velmohan awarded him a ₹1 crore cash prize. Read all about the grand felicitation ceremony of the World Champion in this article. Photos: Abhyudaya Ram

Velammal School in Chennai, part of the Velammal Nexus group, is a well-known name in the chess world for producing top Grandmasters like World Champion Gukesh D, R Praggnanandhaa, R. Vaishali, Aravindh Chithambaram, Adhiban Baskaran, and many more. Out of India’s 85 Grandmasters, 35 are from Tamil Nadu, and 21 began their chess journey at Velammal, earning it the title “The Chess Factory of India.”Among the many top talents, the one who has made history in the chess world and created a storm in Indian chess is D Gukesh, who began his chess journey at Velammal School!

(Left) Gukesh with one of his earliest felicitations at the Velammal school along with Vishy Anand, and (Right) being honored by his school after becoming the World Champion at 18. | Photo: Velammal Nexus Group (Left) / Abhyudaya Ram (Right)

Felicitating the Youngest World Champion

On February 28, 2025, Velammal Nexus School organized a felicitation program for the youngest World Chess Champion, D. Gukesh. Last time, after he won the Candidates Tournament, the school gifted him a Mercedes-Benz. This time, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Indian chess, Velammal Nexus Correspondent Shri M.V.M. Velmohan and Deputy Correspondent Mr. Shriram Velmohan awarded him a ₹1 crore cash prize!

Gukesh receives a ₹1 Cr award! | (Left to Right): Dr. Rajinikanth (Gukesh’s father), Shri M.V.M. Velmohan (Correspondent), Mr. Shriram Velmohan (Deputy Correspondent), and Youngest World Chess Champion D Gukesh. | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Here are a series of photos to take you through the felicitation ceremony:

This is the entrance of Velammal Matriculation School, Mogappair, beautifully decorated with traditional banana trees and chess pieces to celebrate the occasion. | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

The road to the school is painted like a chessboard, with photos showcasing Gukesh’s incredible achievements along the way! | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

The tunnel leading into the venue is lit up with LEDs, showcasing stunning photos of Gukesh and his achievements - what a brilliant idea! | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

The school building was painted like a chessboard—a fantastic attention to detail! | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

A huge stage with a big LED screen and bright lights set for the felicitation! | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

A huge space created for 4,000+ students to welcome the champion! | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

A stunning art wall of Gukesh, created in different styles by the school's fine art students! | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

A traditional welcome was arranged....

to honor the champion! | Photos: Abhyudaya Ram

A traditional Nadaswaram welcome at the entrance—such a beautiful way to celebrate culture! | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Young students holding placards, excited to welcome the champion! | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

A nice detail—everyone got a badge with Gukesh’s photo and the words “We’re proud of you”! | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

A big drone filled with flower petals was ready to shower Gukesh during his welcome—such a thoughtful gesture! | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Gukesh arrived at the school around 6 PM with his parents! | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

As part of a Tamil tradition, a Parivattam (a type of turban) was placed on Gukesh as a warm welcome! | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Gukesh walks down the ramp, cheered on by thousands of students! | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

A beautiful traditional dance performance by the school students! | Photos: Abhyudaya Ram

The children also wore Gukesh masks—a wonderful touch to the performance! | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

A high-energy performance by Aoora, the South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, and composer! | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Gukesh was invited on stage to perform his iconic dance step from the song Manasilaayo! | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

A video montage showcasing Gukesh’s achievements was played, bringing back memories of his early days and his World Championship victory! | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

A stunning drone show with 250 drones lit up the sky! Gukesh captured the moment as his face appeared in the air—a truly special sight! | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Gukesh took a 360-degree selfie with all the students of the school—what a memorable moment! | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Gukesh was honored and congratulated by the staff members of Velammal School! | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

A fun Q&A session with Gukesh, hosted by the students! | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Gukesh addressed the gathering, sharing his thoughts and gratitude! | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

A spectacular fireworks show lit up the sky to close the event! | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Hundreds of people waited outside the school to meet the World Champion! What a spectacle—a dream moment for every chess player! | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

And to end it on a heartwarming note, watch this wholesome moment where little kids wave at Gukesh, calling him “Gukesh Anna”. With a big smile, Gukesh waves back - a beautiful scene of young dreamers looking up to the World Champion, who was once just like them!

This was a fantastic initiative by Velammal School, led by Correspondent Shri M.V.M. Velmohan and Deputy Correspondent Mr. Shriram Velmohan, who have been supporting young talents and building a strong chess ecosystem. Such encouragement will inspire more youngsters to take up the sport and follow in the footsteps of Gukesh and other chess champions from Velammal!