Judit Polgár, an International Chess Federation ICON

Hungary's Judit Polgár, the strongest female chess player of all time, has received ICON award, given out by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) at its 'Year of the Woman in Chess Awards' gala as part of the 44th Chess Olympiad in Chennai, India.

This was the first time that the FIDE ICON Award was presented, in recognition of Judit Polgár's work over the decades, inspiring millions.

"It is a great honour to receive the FIDE ICON Award. This award is a recognition of my decades-long career as a chess player and my work promoting chess and encouraging women's orientation towards chess. We must continue to work to ensure that more girls experience this ancient game's beauty, knowledge, and benefits. I take every opportunity to convey the message to girls and people around them: strive to make the most of their talents. Because if we do not limit girls, if we encourage and inspire them to persevere and build their confidence, they will succeed in any field of life," the Hungarian chess legend said after receiving the award.