Indian Chess Grandmasters Making Big Moves

For the first time in history, Indian chess prodigies have secured an unprecedented five spots, including the coveted top spot, in the junior world rankings.

Leading the charge are Grandmasters (GM) R. Praggnanandhaa (Elo rating 2747) and D. Gukesh (2743), positioned first and third, respectively. They are joined by Nihal Sarin (2693) in sixth place, Raunak Sadhwani (2654) in seventh, and Leon Luke Mendonca (2631) in tenth place, according to the latest ranking list from the International Chess Federation (FIDE).

Notably, Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh are set to compete in the upcoming Candidates Tournament in Canada, where the victor will challenge reigning World Chess Champion Liren Ding (2762) for the coveted world title.

In the girls’ section, two Indian players also make their mark in the top 10 club: Sarayu Velpula (2444) secures the second rank, while Woman Grandmaster (WGM) Divya Deshmukh (2427) holds the third position.

Meanwhile, in the women’s category, India’s seasoned GM Koneru Humpy claims the third spot with a rating of 2554. Humpy is slated to participate in the Women Candidates Tournament in Canada.

Although not ranked in the global top ten, WGM R. Vaishali will also join the fray in the Women Candidates tournament.

Notably, while Indian chess players shine in the junior and women’s categories, none feature in the top ten of the Open category.