 He also won the Tamil Nadu Chess Championship eleven times (1957–1982); after him, Tamil Nadu emerged as the chess powerhouse of India.He won the West Asian Zonal against Mongolia's Sukien Momo 3–1 (earning his International Master's rating), and the Asian-Australian Zonal final against Cecil Purdy of Australia 3–0 in 1961.In 1962, he won the Arjuna Award for Indian sportsmen, the first-ever chess player to be so honoured.