Anuj Shrivatri Becomes India’s 100th Chess Grandmaster

On 8 November 2026, 22-year-old Anuj Shrivatri of Madhya Pradesh became India’s 100th chess Grandmaster after winning the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship in Ozamiz City, Philippines. He scored 7/9 and is the first Grandmaster from Madhya Pradesh. The achievement coincided with Diwali.

India’s Grandmaster milestone

All India Chess Federation president Nitin Narang congratulated Shrivatri. Viswanathan Anand, India’s first Grandmaster in 1988, noted that India had 30 Grandmasters around 15 years ago and reached 75 during the 2022 Chennai Olympiad. India’s 100 Grandmasters include 38 from Tamil Nadu. VS Rathanvel became the country’s 99th Grandmaster in July 2026.

Important Facts for Exams

• Lifetime status: The FIDE Grandmaster title is held for life once awarded.
• Norms and rating: Ordinarily, a player needs three Grandmaster norms and a peak Elo rating of 2,500; the rating need not be maintained.
• Automatic qualification: FIDE also confers the title automatically for reaching the World Cup last 16 or winning specified women’s, junior, senior or continental events, with a 2,300 peak rating.
• Gender distinction: The FIDE Grandmaster title is open to players of any gender; the separate Woman Grandmaster title has lower requirements and is awarded only to women.