Chess Prodigy Vaka Lakshmi Pragnika, 7, Honored with Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2025

• Vaka Lakshmi Pragnika, 7, from Surat, received the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2025 from President Droupadi Murmu for exceptional sports achievements.
• She won the Under-7 Girls title at the 2025 FIDE World Schools Chess Championship in Serbia with a historic perfect score of 9/9.
• Pragnika is a multiple-time Gujarat State Champion and a national-level medallist, including Gujarat Under-7 Gold and National Schools Chess Championship bronze.
• Her achievement is a proud moment for Surat and Gujarat, as only a select few children receive this prestigious national award annually.
• President Murmu praised the awardees for bringing pride to their families and the nation, encouraging young achievers.

Why It Matters: 7-year-old chess prodigy Vaka Lakshmi Pragnika received the Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2025 for her historic global chess victory.