Madhya Pradesh’s International Master Anuj Shrivatri made history by becoming India’s 100th chess Grandmaster after his victory at the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship on Sunday.
IMAGE: Anuj Shrivatri of Madhya Pradesh won the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship to earn the Grandmaster title. Photograph: Kind courtesy ChessBase India/X
Key Points
- International Master Anuj Shrivatri became India’s 100th Grandmaster on Sunday.
- The 22-year-old secured the title by winning the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship.
- Anuj scored seven out of eight possible points in the tournament held in Misamis Occidental.
- Vishwanathan Anand was India’s first-ever GM, earning the title in 1988.
- India gained its last five GMs (96th to 100th) between July, 2026 to November 2026 in just five months.
Madhya Pradesh’s International Master Anuj Shrivatri became India’s 100th Grandmaster after winning the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship in Sinacaban, Philippines, on Sunday.
Anuj Shrivatri’s Path to Grandmaster Title
The 22-year-old Anuj scored seven out of the possible eight points after losing the first game at the tournament which was held at the Asenso Global Youth Leadership and Sports Complex in Misamis Occidental.
The legendary Vishwanathan Anand was India’s first-ever GM as he won the title in 1988 after earning his third norm in 1987.
India got its last five GMs — from 96th to 100th between July, 2026 to November 2026 in a space of just five months.
Ethan Vaz, Harshvardhan GB, S Ashwath and V Rathnavel were awarded GM titles just before Anuj.
