Who is Anuj Shrivatri? India's 100th Grandmaster chose chess over software job

Anuj Shrivatri, 22, became India's 100th Grandmaster after winning the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship in the Philippines. The Madhya Pradesh player is also the first Grandmaster from his state.Anuj Shrivatri became India's 100th Grandmaster (Courtesy: MP Chess/Instagram)New Delhi,Nov 9, 2026 13:02 ISTIndian chess reached a landmark moment on Sunday, when Anuj Shrivatri became the country's 100th Grandmaster, nearly four decades after Viswanathan Anand became India's first in 1988. The 22-year-old from Katni, Madhya Pradesh, achieved the feat by winning the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship in the Philippines. He also became the first player from Madhya Pradesh to earn the prestigious title.Shrivatri's triumph was particularly remarkable given how his campaign began. The International Master lost his opening-round encounter but recovered strongly, scoring seven points from his remaining eight games to finish with seven points from nine rounds. He finished half a point ahead of Vietnam's Nguyen Duc Hoa, with the victory also securing him the tournament's direct Grandmaster title.Unlike the conventional route, which requires players to achieve three Grandmaster norms across at least 27 games and reach a FIDE rating of 2,500, the championship offered a direct route to the title under special FIDE-approved conditions.Legendary Anand took to X on Sunday to congratulate Anuj. Screengrab from X Born in 2004, Shrivatri developed an interest in chess as a seven-year-old in 2011. Hailing from Katni, he was introduced to the game by his father, Ashok Shrivatri, who had himself been fascinated by chess but could not pursue it seriously. VK Tiwari was his first coach and played an important role in shaping his understanding of the game. He subsequently trained under several coaches, including Niklesh Jain, who became an early mentor.Shrivatri was also an academically accomplished student. He completed his BTech from Lovely Professional University, specialising in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, before taking up a job as a software engineer with a German company. However, a promising career in technology was not enough to keep him away from the chessboard.Shrivatri turned down an opportunity to work from the German firm's base in Germany to pursue chess full-time, according to The Indian Express. His father, Ashok, told the publication that balancing a demanding software job with the eight to nine hours of daily chess preparation required to compete at the highest level was difficult.The family stood firmly behind his decision. Ashok, a teacher, and his wife had made considerable financial sacrifices over the years to support their son's tournament travels. They would often dip into their savings to ensure he could compete internationally.A MILESTONE FOR INDIAN CHESSShrivatri's achievement is significant beyond his personal journey. India had its first Grandmaster in Anand in 1988, and it took 38 years for the country to reach the three-figure mark. The latest milestone also underlines the growing depth of Indian chess, with several young players making their mark internationally.For Madhya Pradesh, however, the achievement carries an added significance. After years without a Grandmaster, the state finally has its first, courtesy of a player who chose to follow his passion over a conventional career.- Ends