# India's 100th Grandmaster: Anuj Shrivatri wins ASEAN Plus title _Madhya Pradesh player reaches the century mark for Indian chess after winning in the Philippines._ - Publisher: Apex Sports News (https://apexsportsnews.in) - Canonical URL: https://apexsportsnews.in/news/india-s-100th-grandmaster-anuj-shrivatri-wins-asean-plus-title - Author: Rohit, Sports writer (https://apexsportsnews.in/author/rohit) - Published: 2026-11-11T07:02:30.916Z - Section: Other Sports - Topics: Viswanathan Anand, Anuj Shrivatri, Grandmaster, India chess, ASEAN Plus Open Chess Championship ## Summary Anuj Shrivatri became India's 100th chess Grandmaster after winning the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the achievement as India hit a century in chess. ## Key takeaways - Anuj Shrivatri won the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship - He secured seven points from the last eight matches after an opening-round loss - Shrivatri was born on July 21, 2004, and hails from Katni, Madhya Pradesh - Viswanathan Anand became India's first GM in 1988 - PM Modi congratulated Shrivatri on X ## Article Anuj Shrivatri became India's 100th Grandmaster after winning the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship in Sinacaban, Philippines, on Sunday. The MP-born player secured seven points from the last eight matches after losing the opening round. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Shrivatri on X, calling the achievement exceptional and saying India has hit a century in chess. ## Historic milestone Shrivatri achieved the milestone 38 years after Viswanathan Anand became India's first grandmaster in 1988. Ethan Vaz, Harshvardhan GB, S Ashwath and V Rathnavel received their GM titles just before Anuj. ## Global context The International Chess Federation currently lists 97 Indian grandmasters. Shrivatri and IM Ethan Vaz and IM Rathanvel V S are awaiting formal confirmation of their GM titles. According to Chess.com, India ranks fourth in the world with 97 Grandmasters. Russia leads with 184, followed by the United States with 115 and Germany with 103. Ukraine ranks fifth with 85 Grandmasters. ## Background Born on July 21, 2004, Anuj hails from Katni, Madhya Pradesh and began playing chess at age seven. Some of his major accomplishments include a third-place finish at the National U13 Championship and finishing fourth at the World Youth U14 Championships. Anuj steadily delivered results in open tournaments and became an FM in 2018 and received the IM title at 15 years and 31 days old, making him the youngest IM from Madhya Pradesh and Central India, with FIDE formally approving the title in 2020. ## Earlier results The chess player from MP announced himself at the 2018 Stiges Open in Spain, where he was tied for second place but ended up being third after the application of tie-breaks. 5/10. 5 lakh. Last year, he finished as runner-up at the 2nd Namma Bengaluru GM with 8/10, finishing at level with winner Levan Pantsulaia and Alexei Fedorov. ## What happens next Modi said the feat reflects the talent, dedication, and hard work of Indian players and highlights the growing popularity of chess among the country's youth. He added that it is particularly heartening to see young chess talents emerging from different parts of the country and making their mark on the global stage, expressing hope that this achievement will inspire many more youngsters to take up chess and pursue excellence. ### Related on Apex Sports News - [ISSF World Championship: Niveditha Nair wins bronze as India takes team silver](https://apexsportsnews.in/news/issf-world-championship-niveditha-nair-wins-bronze-as-india-takes-team-silver) - [Shourya Ambure wins bronze as India enjoys mixed day at Dakar Youth Olympics](https://apexsportsnews.in/news/shourya-ambure-wins-bronze-as-india-enjoys-mixed-day-at-dakar-youth-olympics) - [Asian Para Games 2026: Ayush Verma wins shot put gold as India's tally reaches 38](https://apexsportsnews.in/news/asian-para-games-2026-ayush-verma-wins-shot-put-gold-as-india-s-tally-reaches) ### Sources - [firstpost.com](https://www.firstpost.com/sports/chess/meet-anuj-shrivatri-mp-born-chess-player-makes-history-after-becoming-indias-100th-grandmaster-14059039.html) - [rediff.com](https://www.rediff.com/sports/report/india-now-home-to-100-chess-grandmasters/20261110.htm) - [Photo: stevepb, Pixabay Content License (Pixabay)](https://pixabay.com/photos/checkmate-chess-board-chess-board-1511866/) --- Source: Apex Sports News, https://apexsportsnews.in/news/india-s-100th-grandmaster-anuj-shrivatri-wins-asean-plus-title. Please cite and link the original article when quoting.