NEW DELHI: At just 18, Indian chess prodigy Gukesh D has created history by becoming the youngest-ever world chess champion. However, his monumental success brings a hefty tax burden—Rs 4.67 crore—surpassing Chennai Super Kings (CSK) veteran MS Dhoni’s entire IPL salary for the upcoming season.
His victory against China’s Ding Liren in a thrilling Singapore final last week has catapulted him to global fame and established him as a trailblazer in Indian chess.
While Gukesh’s victory has drawn admiration worldwide, it comes with a hefty financial caveat — an enormous tax bill.
With his earnings from the World Chess Championship estimated at a staggering Rs 11.34 crore, Gukesh faces an income tax liability of Rs 4.67 crore, exceeding Gukesh’s idol MS Dhoni’s Rs 4 crore Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 salary.
In India, incomes exceeding Rs 15 lakh are taxed at 30%.
For those earning over Rs 5 crore, an additional surcharge of up to 37%, combined with a 4% health and education levy, leads to effective tax rates of over 42%.
Gukesh’s Rs 11.34 crore includes Rs 5.04 crore from his three match wins, while the remaining was split from the total prize pool of Rs 21 crore as per FIDE regulations.
Reflecting on his financial journey, Gukesh shared that chess was never about money but passion and perseverance. “Personally, money isn’t the reason I play chess,” he said when asked about being a multimillionaire, adding, “It means a lot. When I got into chess, we (as a family) had to make some hard decisions. My parents had gone through financial and emotional hardships. Now, we are more comfortable and parents don’t need to think about those things.”
