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Among the many personalities in sports, how can we forget famous chess players in India? Especially when the most interesting fact about Chess is the belief that chess originated in India during the 6th century, under the Gupta Empire’s rule. It was known as Chaturanga in ancient India. It was the first version of chess, played on an 8×8 board with pieces like infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots, which later became pawns, knights, bishops, and rooks. The game spread from India to Persia and Europe, becoming the chess we know today!
In the 20th century, Indian chess began to grow, with Mir Sultan Khan representing British India in international tournaments. Viswanathan Anand became India’s first Grandmaster in 1988 and won five World Chess Championships, making India a strong global chess power. Today, India has over 80 Grandmasters, including top players like Gukesh D, Vidit Gujrathi and Harika Dronavalli, and has a female presence in Chess too. As of 2024, India won a historic Two Gold in the FIDE Chess Olympiad 2024, becoming the best chess-playing nation, competing in major international tournaments.
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List of Famous Chess Players in India with Grandmaster Title
The Indian chess community has players who are excelling on both national and international stages. The Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE) ratings are used to rank these players based on their performances. This blog covers the top male and female famous chess players in India. Below is detailed information on their achievements, titles and contributions to the sport.
| Indian Player Name | Title | FIDE Ratings of 2024 | State |
| Gukesh D | Grandmaster (GM) | 2764 | Tamil Nadu |
| Vishwanathan Anand | Grandmaster (GM) | 2751 | Tamil Nadu |
| Vidit Gujrathi | Grandmaster (GM) | 2720 | Maharashtra |
| Pentala Harikrishna | Grandmaster (GM) | 2686 | Andhra Pradesh |
| Nihal Sarin | Grandmaster (GM) | 2668 | Kerala |
| Krishnan Sasikiran | Grandmaster (GM) | 2571 | Tamil Nadu |
| Koneru Humpy | Grandmaster (GM) | 2530 | Andhra Pradesh |
| Harika Dronavalli | Grandmaster (GM) | 2502 | Andhra Pradesh |
| Vaishali Rameshbabu | Grandmaster (GM) | 2498 | Tamil Nadu |
| Divya Deshmukh | International Master (IM) | 2483 | Maharashtra |
Also Read – Benefits of Playing Chess For Students & Adults
Top Female Chess Players in India
India’s female chess players have recently earned a Gold Medal in the FIDE Chess Olympiad 2024. Let us discuss these top female chess players, ranked by their FIDE ratings.
Koneru Humpy – The Youngest Woman “Grandmaster”
Koneru Humpy is one of the strongest female chess players in the world. In 2002, she became the youngest woman to achieve the Grandmaster (GM) title at the age of 15, surpassing the previous record held by Judit Polgár.
| Achievements | Details |
| State | Andhra Pradesh |
| FIDE Rating | 2530 |
| Titles | Grandmaster (GM) |
| Awards | Arjuna Award, Padma Shri, BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year |
| Wins | FIDE Women’s World Rapid Championship (2019) |
Harika Dronavalli holds the FIDE’s title of Grandmaster since 2011 and represents India’s top chess player. She is also a part of the Indian Women’s Chess Olympiad contingent that won Gold in the 45th Chess Olympiad in 2024.
| Achievements | Details |
| State | Andhra Pradesh |
| FIDE Rating | 2502 |
| Titles | Grandmaster (GM) |
| Awards | Arjuna Award, Padma Shri |
| Wins | Bronze at Women’s World Chess Championship (2012, 2015, 2017) |
Also Read – Youngest Player to Reach the Chess World Cup Final
Vaishali Rameshbabu
R Vaishali is an Indian chess player who holds the Woman Grandmaster (WGM) and International Master (IM) titles. She also has a younger brother named R Praggnanandhaa. Both brother-sister duo are chess grandmasters and also represented India in the 45th Chess Olympiad, winning gold in their respective contingents.
| Achievements | Details |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| FIDE Rating | 2498 |
| Titles | Grandmaster (GM), International Master (IM) |
| Awards | Arjuna Award |
| Wins | World Youth Chess Championship (2012, 2015) |
Divya Deshmukh
Divya Deshmukh is a rising chess prodigy in India. She holds the titles of Woman Grandmaster (WGM) and International Master (IM) and is India’s 21st woman chess grandmaster. She has won the Online Olympiad and was also part of the FIDE Chess Olympiad 2024, winning gold for India.
| Achievements | Details |
| State | Maharashtra |
| FIDE Rating | 2483 |
| Titles | International Master (IM) |
| Wins | FIDE World Junior Chess Championship, World Youth Championship |
Vantika Agrawal
Vantika Agrawal is another young talent in Indian chess. She has achieved the Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title and International Master. Vantika also was a participant in the Chess Olympiad of 2024 along with other women’s Chess grandmasters winning gold for India.
| Achievements | Details |
| State | Delhi |
| FIDE Rating | 2316 |
| Titles | Woman Grandmaster (WGM) |
| Key Wins | World Youth Chess Championship (2016) |
Also Read – Essay on Chess in 500 Words in English for School Students
Top Male Chess Players in India
The Male chess players of India have recently won Gold in the FIDE Chess Olympiad 2024. Let us discuss the top male chess players along with their FIDE ratings.
Arjun Erigaisi
Arjun Erigaisi is one of the top chess players in India and the world. He earned the title of Grandmaster at the age of 14 years and has recently surpassed Viswanathan Anand in the FIDE rankings. Recently, he was also one of the participants from India who won Gold in the Chess Olympiad of 2024.
| Achievements | Details |
| State | Telangana |
| FIDE Rating | 2778 |
| Titles | Grandmaster (GM) |
| Wins | Indian National Championship, Tata Steel Chess India (2022) |
Gukesh D
Gukesh Dommaraju also known as Gukesh D, is a chess prodigy who became the third youngest Grandmaster in history at the age of 12. He is also the youngest player to reach a 2700 FIDE rating. In the FIDE Chess Olympiad of 2024, Gukesh D played an important part by winning the second hurdle, ultimately, India won the Gold!
| Achievements | Details |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| FIDE Rating | 2764 |
| Titles | Grandmaster (GM) |
| Wins | FIDE Candidates Tournament (2024) |
Also Read – Nihal Sarin, the Indian Mastermind of Chess
R Praggnanandhaa
Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa is a chess prodigy and holds the title of Grandmaster. He gained recognition after defeating World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in a classical game. His winning streak continued in the FIDE Chess Olympiad of 2024 held in Budapest, where India won gold!
| Achievements | Details |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| FIDE Rating | 2750 |
| Titles | Grandmaster (GM) |
| Awards | Arjuna Award |
| Wins | World Youth Chess Championship, World Junior Chess Championship |
Viswanathan Anand
Viswanathan “Vishy” Anand, also known as “The Madras Tiger,”. Anand became India’s first Grandmaster in 1988 and five-time World Chess Champion since then. He is regarded as one of the greatest chess players in the history of the sport.
| Achievements | Details |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| FIDE Rating | 2751 |
| Titles | Grandmaster (GM), Former World Champion |
| Awards | Padma Shri, Padma Bhusan,Padma Vibhushan, Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award |
| Wins | World Chess Championship, World Rapid Chess Championship, World Blitz Cup |
Also Read – Biography of Sachin Tendulkar: Life, Achievements
Vidit Santosh Gujrathi
Vidit Gujrathi is currently one of the top-ranked Grandmasters in India. He is also the fourth Indian player who crossed the threshold of 2700 in Elo ratings. He was also recently part of India’s team representing the FIDE Chess Olympiad of 2024 in Budapest.
| Achievements | Details |
| State | Maharashtra |
| FIDE Rating | 2720 |
| Titles | Grandmaster (GM) |
| Wins | World Youth Chess Championship, Tata Steel Chess India |
With winning the gold in the FIDE Chess Olympiad of 2024, both the Male and Female teams have written their name in Chess history as World Champions. From famous chess players in India like Viswanathan Anand to rising stars like Gukesh D and Koneru Humpy to Divya Deshmukh, these champions have not only made India proud but have also inspired many!
FAQs
Currently, Arjuna Erigaisi is the No. 1 chess player and a grandmaster in India.
The chess legend of India is Viswanathan Anand, who became a five-time World Champion. He is also known as the god of chess in India,
In 2024, P Shyaamnikhil from Tamil Nadu won the title of 85th grandmaster of India.
R Praggnanandhaa has a world ranking of 12 as of 2024.
As of September 2024, Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen is the world no.1 chess player.
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This was all about the famous chess players in India. If you want to know more about other Famous Personalities then visit our General Knowledge page!