Anuj Shrivatri becomes India's 100th chess Grandmaster
The 22-year-old player from Madhya Pradesh secured the title by winning a championship in the Philippines.
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 and Deccan Herald.
The 22-year-old International Master from Madhya Pradesh scored seven points in the tournament. He achieved this total after losing the opening round at the Asenso Global Youth Leadership and Sports Complex in Misamis Occidental.
Shrivatri is the first Grandmaster from Madhya Pradesh. His achievement follows the recent titles awarded to S. Aswath, V.S.
Rathanvel, Ethan Vaz, and Harshvardhan GB.
Viswanathan Anand, who became India's first Grandmaster in 1988, called the achievement a remarkable milestone. He noted that the country had 30 Grandmasters 15 years ago and remarked on the pace of growth.
The country has seen significant growth in recent years, with nine Grandmasters added this year alone. India's count of Grandmasters moved from 96 to 100 between July and November 2026.