Anuj Shrivatri becomes India's 100th chess Grandmaster
The 22-year-old from Madhya Pradesh secured the title by winning the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship in the Philippines.
Anuj Shrivatri became India's 100th chess Grandmaster on Sunday, November 8, 2026, after winning the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship in the Philippines. The 22-year-old from Katni, Madhya Pradesh, also became the first Grandmaster from his state.
According to The Hindu, Shrivatri secured the title in Ozamiz City by scoring seven points from nine rounds. Despite losing his opening game, he finished the tournament with an unbeaten run in his remaining eight games, consisting of six wins and two draws.
Shrivatri told Times of India that he felt a sense of relief after long attempts to secure the title, noting that his GM norms had been missed four or five times previously. He had previously focused on his studies and completed a BTech in Computer Science at Lovely Professional University before deciding to pursue chess full-time in 2025.
The player revealed that he had rejected a corporate job offer following his college internship to focus on his chess career. He noted that managing finances without sponsorship was a significant struggle, as he used earnings from coaching and rapid tournaments to fund his international travels.
The Deccan Herald reported that India has seen a rapid increase in Grandmasters, with the 96th to 100th titles being awarded between July 2026 and November 2026. Shrivatri follows recent Grandmasters S. Aswath and V.S.
Rathanvel, who were the 98th and 99th GMs respectively.