India gets its 100th Grandmaster! Anuj Shrivatri becomes first GM from MP

NewsSports NewsChess NewsChess NewsIndia gets its 100th Grandmaster! Anuj Shrivatri becomes first GM from Madhya Pradesh India gets its 100th Grandmaster! Anuj Shrivatri becomes first GM from Madhya Pradesh Edited by Jyotirmoy Halder / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Nov 08, 2026, 19:53 IST NEW DELHI: Anuj Shrivatri of Madhya Pradesh became India’s 100th chess Grandmaster on Sunday, completing the title requirements by winning the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship.

The result also made him the first Grandmaster from his state.Shrivatri, born in 2004, began the tournament with a loss. He lost his opening game, then recovered to finish on seven points after nine rounds.That was half a point clear of Vietnam’s Nguyen Duc Hoa, with Nouri Alekhine of the Philippines third on six.Join conversation Vincent Keymer Exclusive: Becoming Germany No.

1, Magnus Carlsen intimidation, and more The title was still in the balance in the closing rounds, and he won the last two with everything at stake.The result came on Diwali, the festival of light.The milestone ends a wait that began in 1988, when Viswanathan Anand became India’s first Grandmaster.The country has added several in recent months, with S Aswath becoming the 98th in July and VS Rathanvel the 99th more recently.Shrivatri had been among the names touted as the likely 100th.He has long been seen as a prospect.

Shrivatri earned the IM title in 2020 and was then reported to be the youngest International Master from Madhya Pradesh. Six years on, the next step is complete.For Indian chess, the number carries symbolic weight. India has had the 100th Grandmaster title in sight for some time, and the speed at which new Grandmasters have arrived shows how strong the country’s talent pipeline has become.For Madhya Pradesh, which had not produced one until now, Shrivatri’s name opens a new chapter.

Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app. Jyotirmoy Halder is a journalist and sports writer at TOI (digital), with a post-graduation in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi.

A passionate follower of sports since childhood, he has covered everything from mainstream to niche disciplines. His career began in 2018 with SportsKeeda, followed by roles at Fansided and Get Football, where he primarily covered European football.

Experienced in digital storytelling, data analysis, and athlete interviews, Jyotirmoy now works as a Digital Content Producer with The Times of India's sports team. Abhijeet Dipke Attacks PM Modi Over Trump, US Trade Dea & SIR Rowl At Kochi Protest Sonam Wangchuk Accuses Ladakh Admin Of ‘Witch-Hunting’, Seeks President Murmu’s Intervention ‘Dimagi Naxals Have Taken Control…’: PM Modi WARNS During Diwali Address In Bastar Sonia Gandhi Says She Cried Watching Babri Masjid Demolition On TV; BJP's 'Dil Mein Babar' Attack ‘Come To Ayodhya But…’: Yogi Demands Apology From Akhilesh Yadav Ahead Of Ram Temple Visit IAF's IL-76 Makes World's Highest-Altitude Landing At Ladakh's Nyoma Airbase Near China Border Akhilesh Yadav To Visit Ayodhya Ram Temple For First Time Since Consecration Ahead Of 2027 UP Polls 'It Was Done Constitutionally': Sonia Gandhi Reflects On Emergency, Slams Modi Govt; BJP Hits Back “Not Supported By Tests”: Centre Rejects Karnataka’s Excess Ethanol Claim; E20 Row Deepens 18,000 Special Trains, 700 AI Cameras: Railways Prepares For Festive Rush Amid Diwali, Chhath Puja