India marks historic milestone as 22-year-old becomes the country's 100th chess Grandmaster

India has recorded a landmark moment in chess, with 22-year-old Anuj Shrivatri becoming the country's 100th Grandmaster, almost four decades after Viswanathan Anand first earned the title for the nation in 1988.

Shrivatri sealed the milestone by winning the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship in the Philippines on Sunday. He recovered from a loss in his opening round to score seven points from nine games and take the title, also becoming the first Grandmaster from the state of Madhya Pradesh.

The young player reportedly set aside a career in software engineering to chase his ambition in chess. He earned the International Master title in 2020 and kept competing internationally until he reached the game's highest title.

India's rise as a chess power has gathered pace in recent years, producing leading names including reigning world champion D. Gukesh, R. Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi. The country added its five most recent Grandmasters between July and November this year alone, underlining the depth of new talent.

All India Chess Federation President Nitin Narang congratulated Shrivatri, calling the achievement a proud moment for Indian chess and setting the federation's sights on the next target of 200 Grandmasters. The milestone arrived during Diwali celebrations, giving chess followers across the country an extra reason to celebrate.