Aaryan Varshney Becomes India’s 92nd Chess Grandmaster

India added another name to its growing chess legacy as 21-year-old Aaryan Varshney secured the Grandmaster title, becoming the country’s 92nd GM. The achievement came after he clinched his final GM norm at the Andranik Margaryan Memorial Tournament in Armenia, sealing the title with a round to spare. His journey stands out for its simplicity, discipline, and an extraordinary father-son partnership.

A journey shaped at home, not academies

Aaryan’s chess education was unlike the conventional path followed by most elite players. Trained entirely at home by his father, Gaurav Varshney, a physics teacher in Delhi, Aaryan never worked with a professional coach. His mother left the family when he was five, leaving his father to raise him single-handedly while supporting aged parents.

Chess training began seriously when Aaryan was seven. For nearly two years, his father acted as coach, analyst, and motivator, relying largely on game analysis and practical play rather than formal theory.

Rapid rise through discipline and self-study

Aaryan played his first rated tournament in December 2014 with a rating of 1261. Within four years, his rating surged past 2300. In July 2018, he won the National Under-13 Championship in Ahmedabad, marking his arrival on the national stage.

Notably, Aaryan never read a chess book and relied mainly on ChessBase software and post-game analysis. His International Master title came in 2024, achieved entirely through open tournaments, without European exposure.

Breaking barriers without big budgets

Financial limitations shaped many decisions. As the sole earning member, Gaurav Varshney could not afford prolonged overseas training stints. Despite this, Aaryan earned all his IM and GM norms through tournaments in Asia and Europe once opportunities opened post-pandemic.

The GM title came swiftly after becoming an IM, with three GM norms achieved in six months across Greece, Bangladesh, and Armenia.

Imporatnt Facts for Exams

• India currently has over 90 chess Grandmasters, reflecting rapid growth in the sport.
• A chess Grandmaster title requires three GM norms and a 2500 Elo rating.
• Open tournaments allow players to earn norms without age or category restrictions.
• Chess gained increased institutional support in India after 2010.

Eyes on the world stage

With the GM title secured, Aaryan has set ambitious goals. He aims to become world champion and hopes to register a win against reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju, against whom he has already played competitive games. His rise underscores how discipline, resilience, and focused mentorship can still defy conventional pathways in elite sport.