Anuj Shrivatri, 22, from Katni in Madhya Pradesh, has become India’s 100th chess Grandmaster. He is the first Grandmaster ever from Madhya Pradesh. He quit a software engineer job at a German firm to play chess full time.
Key takeaways
- Anuj Shrivatri is India’s 100th chess Grandmaster, and the first from Madhya Pradesh.
- He won the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship in Ozamiz City, Philippines, on Sunday, 8 November.
- He lost his first game, then scored 7 points from 8 games to win the title.
- He is 22, from Katni, and started playing chess at the age of 7.
- India’s first Grandmaster was Viswanathan Anand, in 1988 — 38 years ago.
- India is only the fourth nation to reach 100 Grandmasters.
01. How he did it
Anuj won the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship in Ozamiz City, in the Philippines, on Sunday. The win gave him the Grandmaster title directly, through a special FIDE-approved format. The event could award a direct GM title because at least four Grandmasters and six International Masters played in every round.
He lost his first game. Then he turned it around. He scored 7 points from 8 games after that, finishing with 7 points from 9 rounds, half a point ahead of Vietnam’s Nguyen Duc Hoa.
His peak rating was 2483, reached in June. His performance rating in this event was 2586. The usual way to become a Grandmaster needs three GM norms and a rating of 2500. This event gave him the title directly for winning it.
02. He quit his job for chess
Anuj did a B.Tech in Computer Science, specialising in AI and Machine Learning, from Lovely Professional University. Then he got a job as a software engineer with a German firm.
He left that job to play chess full time. It was a big risk. On Sunday, it paid off.
He started playing chess in 2011, at the age of 7. He became an International Master in 2020. He was the youngest International Master from Madhya Pradesh at the time.
03. Why 100 matters
India got its first Grandmaster in 1988, when Viswanathan Anand won the title. It took 38 years to reach 100. India is only the fourth nation to reach the mark.
The last five Grandmasters, from 96th to 100th, came in just five months, from July to November 2026. In July, VS Rathanvel became the 99th Grandmaster. Anuj is the ninth Indian to earn the title in 2026.
All India Chess Federation president Nitin Narang posted on X: “GRANDMASTER No. 100 FOR BHARAT! Onwards to 200 Grandmasters!”
04. Anuj Shrivatri in brief
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Age | 22 |
| From | Katni, Madhya Pradesh |
| Title won | 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship, Ozamiz City, Philippines |
| Score | 7 points from 9 rounds, after losing the first game |
| First GM from | Madhya Pradesh |
| Started chess | Age 7, in 2011 |
| Job before chess | Software engineer at a German firm |
Read more people stories on Newsy, like our Who Is Dhinidhi Desinghu? explainer and our Arjun Rajput U19 story.
05. FAQs
Who is Anuj Shrivatri?
A 22-year-old chess player from Katni, Madhya Pradesh. He is India’s 100th chess Grandmaster.
How did he become a Grandmaster?
By winning the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship in the Philippines on Sunday. The win gave him the title directly.
Did he really quit his job for chess?
Yes. He left a software engineer job at a German firm to play chess full time.
