International Master Anuj Shrivatri of Madhya Pradesh became India's 100th chess Grandmaster on Sunday after winning the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship in the Philippines. The result completes the title requirements and makes him the first Grandmaster from his state.
Shrivatri lost his opening-round game but recovered to score seven points from nine rounds. He finished half a point ahead of Vietnam's Nguyen Duc Hoa, while Nouri Alekhine of the Philippines took third place with six points. Shrivatri won the last two rounds with the title still in the balance.
The championship was held in Ozamiz City, Philippines, and the result was announced on Diwali. Viswanathan Anand became India's first Grandmaster in 1988, and the milestone of 100 comes 38 years later. Shrivatri is the ninth Indian to earn the title in 2026, following recent additions S Aswath, who became the 98th Grandmaster in July, and VS Rathanvel, the 99th.
Shrivatri, born in 2004, is a B.Tech graduate in Computer Science from Lovely Professional University, Punjab. He earned the International Master title in 2020 and was then reported to be the youngest International Master from Madhya Pradesh. His classical rating before the tournament was around 2450.
All India Chess Federation President Nitin Narang congratulated Shrivatri on social media, calling the achievement a proud moment for Indian chess and expressing hope that India would reach 200 Grandmasters next. Viswanathan Anand also congratulated him, describing the result as a cracker of a 100 and noting that 2027 will mark the 40th anniversary of his own Grandmaster title.
For Madhya Pradesh, which had not produced a Grandmaster until now, the title opens a new chapter in the state's chess history. For Indian chess, the result confirms how quickly the country's pool of top players has grown, with several new Grandmasters added in recent months.
Source: eisamay.com
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