Anuj Shrivatri Creates Chess History, Becomes India’s 100th Grandmaster

Last Updated:November 08, 2026, 8:42 PM IST

Anuj Shrivatri of Madhya Pradesh became India’s 100th chess Grandmaster by winning the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship in the Philippines.

Anuj Shrivatri is the 9th Indian to earn the Grandmaster title in 2026. (Representative Image/AP)

Anuj Shrivatri has become part of India’s chess history. Hailing from Madhya Pradesh, Shrivatri on Sunday became the country’s 100th Grandmaster after winning the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship in the Philippines.

The 22-year-old is also the first Grandmaster from Madhya Pradesh.

He finished the tournament with seven points from nine rounds, overcoming an opening-round defeat to emerge champion. He finished ahead of Vietnam’s Nguyen Duc Hoa by half a point, while home favourite Nouri Alekhine took third place with six points.

A computer science graduate, he earned his International Master title in 2020.

India’s latest milestone comes in a year of significant progress for the country’s chess fraternity.

Shrivatri is the ninth Indian to attain Grandmaster status in 2026, following V.S. Rathnavel, whose elevation to the title as the country’s 99th Grandmaster was confirmed earlier this month.

S. Aswath had become the 98th in July.

The century mark also brings India’s progress into perspective.

The legendary Viswanathan Anand was the country’s first Grandmaster in 1988, when the title was still a rare distinction for Indian players.

Anand, now a five-time world champion, welcomed the development, telling Hindustan Times, “I think it’s a remarkable milestone, the pace especially says a lot.”

He pointed out that India’s Grandmaster count stood at around 30 some 15 years ago.

Anand had hoped the country would reach 75 by the 2022 Chennai Olympiad, marking 75 years of independence.

The tally has since risen by another 25 in just four years.

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Who became India’s 100th chess Grandmaster and where was the tournament held?

Anuj Shrivatri from Madhya Pradesh became India’s 100th chess Grandmaster by winning the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship in the Philippines.

How did Anuj Shrivatri perform at the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship?

The 22-year-old computer science graduate overcame an opening-round defeat to finish the tournament with seven points from nine rounds, edging out Vietnam’s Nguyen Duc Hoa by half a point.

Who was India’s first chess Grandmaster and what did he say about reaching the 100 milestone?

The legendary Viswanathan Anand became India’s first Grandmaster in 1988. He welcomed the achievement of the 100th title, remarking that it is a remarkable milestone and that the pace of growth says a lot.

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Feroz KhanPrincipal Correspondent

Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience …Read More

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