23/08/2026
Goa CM Felicitates Ethan with Cash Award
A special moment in Ethan Vaz's journey: On 30 July 2026, Ethan was felicitated by the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Goa, Dr. Pramod Sawant, in recognition of his outstanding achievements in chess. The felicitation included a cash award of ₹5 lakh.
The award ceremony, originally scheduled for World Chess Day on 20 July, was subsequently held during the inauguration of the Goa Chess Academy, a landmark initiative of the Directorate of Sports & Youth Affairs (DSYA Goa), Sports Authority of Goa (SAG) and Goa Chess Association (GCA) to nurture the next generation of chess talent in the State.
At just 14, Ethan completed all the requirements for the Grandmaster title, becoming the world's current second-youngest and India's current youngest Grandmaster. He has also won 30 international medals for India and 10 national medals for Goa.