Anuj Shrivatri becomes India's 100th Chess Grandmaster; PM Modi hails 'wonderful achievement'
Synopsis
India has hit a century in chess Grandmasters — and it arrived with a comeback story. Anuj Shrivatri, 22, from Madhya Pradesh, lost his first game at the ASEAN Plus Championship in the Philippines, then won six of his next eight to clinch the title and become the 100th Indian Grandmaster. PM Modi called it 'wonderful'; the milestone marks how far India has travelled since Viswanathan Anand's lone Grandmaster title in 1988.
Key Takeaways
Anuj Shrivatri , aged 22 , from Madhya Pradesh , became India's 100th Chess Grandmaster on 8 November 2026 .
He secured the title at the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship in Ozamiz City, Philippines , scoring 7 points from 9 rounds .
Shrivatri is the first player from Madhya Pradesh to earn the Grandmaster distinction.
PM Modi congratulated him via a post on X , calling India reaching 100 Grandmasters 'a remarkable milestone.' India's first Grandmaster, Viswanathan Anand , earned the title in 1988 ; the pace of new titles has accelerated sharply in recent years.
Anuj Shrivatri, a 22-year-old player from Madhya Pradesh, made history on 8 November 2026 by becoming India's 100th Chess Grandmaster — a landmark milestone in the country's rapid rise as a global chess powerhouse. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Shrivatri on Tuesday, calling the achievement 'wonderful' and describing India's century of Grandmasters as a reflection of the sport's surging popularity among the country's youth.
How Shrivatri Clinched the Title
Shrivatri sealed the Grandmaster norm at the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship held in Ozamiz City, Philippines. He accumulated seven points from nine rounds, finishing half a point ahead of Vietnam's Nguyen Duc Hoa to claim the tournament title alongside the coveted title. His path to glory was not without adversity — after losing his opening game, he stormed back with six wins and two draws across his remaining eight rounds. A decisive victory against Australia's James Morris in the final round sealed both the tournament and the historic milestone.
A Historic First for Madhya Pradesh
Beyond the national record, Shrivatri's achievement carries special regional significance: he is the first player from Madhya Pradesh to earn the Grandmaster title. His breakthrough underscores a broadening of India's chess geography, with talent now emerging well beyond the traditional strongholds of Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.
PM Modi's Reaction
Prime Minister Modi offered warm congratulations in a post on X (formerly Twitter), framing the century of Grandmasters as a collective national triumph. 'India has hit a century in chess! Exceptional, isn't it? India is now home to a hundred chess Grandmasters!' he wrote. Modi further noted that it was 'particularly heartening to see young chess talents emerging from different parts of the country and making their mark on the global stage,' and expressed hope that the milestone would inspire more youngsters to take up the sport.
India's Chess Surge in Context
India's journey to 100 Grandmasters reflects a dramatic acceleration in grassroots chess development over the past two decades. The country produced its first Grandmaster — Viswanathan Anand — in 1988. The pace has since multiplied sharply, with Dommaraju Gukesh becoming the reigning World Chess Champion in 2024, heightening national interest in the sport. Notably, a significant share of India's recent Grandmasters are under 25, pointing to a well-stocked pipeline that coaches and federations expect to yield further world-level talent in the coming decade.
What Comes Next
The All India Chess Federation (AICF) has consistently cited structured coaching programmes and increased tournament participation as drivers of the Grandmaster surge. With the milestone now reached, attention is likely to turn to the quality of titles — specifically, how many of India's Grandmasters can break into the global top 50. Shrivatri's achievement is expected to fuel fresh institutional interest in chess at the school level across states that have so far lagged in producing top-tier players.
Point of View
But the more telling statistic is the age profile: a large share of India's recent Grandmasters are under 25, suggesting the pipeline is widening, not just deepening. What the milestone does not yet answer is whether India can convert Grandmaster volume into consistent world top-50 presence beyond Gukesh and a handful of others. The AICF deserves credit for tournament infrastructure, but the uneven state-wise distribution — Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra historically dominant, Madhya Pradesh only now contributing its first GM — points to coaching and funding gaps that the century milestone should not be allowed to paper over.
NationPress
10 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Anuj Shrivatri and what did he achieve?
Anuj Shrivatri is a 22-year-old chess player from Madhya Pradesh who became India's 100th Chess Grandmaster on 8 November 2026. He clinched the title by winning the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship in Ozamiz City, Philippines, finishing half a point ahead of Vietnam's Nguyen Duc Hoa.
How did PM Modi react to Anuj Shrivatri's achievement?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Shrivatri in a post on X, calling it a 'wonderful achievement' and describing India's 100-Grandmaster milestone as reflecting the 'immense talent, dedication, and hard work' of Indian players. He also expressed hope that the milestone would inspire more youngsters to take up chess.
What is the significance of India reaching 100 Chess Grandmasters?
India's 100th Grandmaster milestone marks a dramatic acceleration in chess development since Viswanathan Anand became the country's first GM in 1988. It reflects growing grassroots participation, structured coaching, and rising international success, most recently Dommaraju Gukesh's World Championship title in 2024.
Is Anuj Shrivatri the first Grandmaster from Madhya Pradesh?
Yes. Anuj Shrivatri is the first player from Madhya Pradesh to earn the Chess Grandmaster title, adding regional significance to the national milestone.
How did Shrivatri perform at the ASEAN Plus Championship?
Shrivatri scored 7 points from 9 rounds, recovering from a first-round loss to register six wins and two draws in his remaining games. His victory over Australia's James Morris in the final round secured both the tournament title and his Grandmaster norm.
