Anuj Shrivatri becomes India's 100th chess Grandmaster
The 22-year-old player won the 7th ASEAN+ Individual Open chess championship in the Philippines to secure the title.
Anuj Shrivatri became India's 100th chess Grandmaster on Sunday, November 8, 2026, after winning the 7th ASEAN+ Individual Open chess championship in Ozamiz City, the Philippines. According to The Hindu, the 22-year-old also became the first Grandmaster from Madhya Pradesh.
Shrivatri secured the title with seven points from nine rounds, despite a loss in the opening round. He finished half a point ahead of Vietnam's Nguyen Duc Hoa, while Nouri Alekhine took third place with six points, according to Times Now.
All India Chess Federation (AICF) president Nitin Narang congratulated Shrivatri on X, calling it a proud moment for Indian chess and a historic milestone for Bharat.
Viswanathan Anand, who became India's first Grandmaster in 1988, also congratulated Shrivatri on X. Anand noted that he had been thinking about the 40th anniversary of his own title.
The milestone follows recent achievements by S. Aswath and V.S. Rathanvel, who became the 98th and 99th Grandmasters respectively.
Rathanvel became the 99th Grandmaster in July at the Guwahati Smart City International Open 2026.