Anuj Shrivatri Becomes India’s 100th Chess Grandmaster

On 8 November 2026 Anuj Shrivatri from Madhya Pradesh won the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship in the Philippines, securing the title of 100th Grandmaster in India. He is also the first Grandmaster from Madhya Pradesh. Having lost a game in Round 1, Anuj Shrivatri picked up his game well by winning the last 2 rounds and scoring 7 points out of 9. This was a significant milestone in Indian chess history as it was Anuj Shrivatri’s birthday, Diwali, and was nearly 4 decades since Viswanathan Anand became the first Grandmaster in India in 1988.

Anuj Shrivatri wins 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship

International Master Anuj Shrivatri won the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship in the Philippines in November 2026. This allowed him to become a Grandmaster, bringing the total number of Grandmasters in India to 100.

Although he started off losing in Round 1, he then played brilliantly and secured the title by winning the final 2 rounds, scoring 7 out of 9 points. This put him ahead of Vietnam’s Nguyen Duc Hoa, who scored 6.5. Nouri Alekhine from the Philippines finished in 3rd place with a score of 6.

This meant that Shrivatri became the first Grandmaster from Madhya Pradesh.

Who is Anuj Shrivatri?

Anuj Shrivatri is an Indian Chess player from Madhya Pradesh, born in 2004. He previously held the title of International Master (IM) before becoming a Grandmaster.

He was reported to be the youngest International Master from Madhya Pradesh. By winning the ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship, he has reached the title of Grandmaster and made a new milestone in his home state.

India reaches 100th Grandmaster:

This is a significant milestone for Indian chess. Viswanathan Anand became the first Grandmaster in India in 1988.

In recent years, the number of Grandmasters in India has increased.

Some of the recent milestones have bee,

• Viswanathan Anand became India’s first Grandmaster in 1988.
• S. Aswath became India’s 98th Grandmaster in July 2026.
• V. S. Rathanvel became India’s 99th Grandmaster.
• Anuj Shrivatri became India’s 100th Grandmaster in November 2026.
• Multiple Grandmasters were added in 2026, meaning India reached the 100 mark.

What is a Chess Grandmaster?

A Grandmaster (GM) is the highest level of title given to chess players by the International Chess Federation (FIDE).

It is given to players who have an incredible level of skill and have achieved something in competitive chess. Usually 3 grandmaster norms and a FIDE rating of at least 2500. However, certain championships can award Grandmaster titles directly under FIDE rules.

Other titles given by FIDE are,

• International Master (IM)
• FIDE Master (FM)
• Candidate Master (CM)