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How India became a chess superpower, the players leading it and what fuels the boom
Chess, which many historians trace to the ancient Indian game chaturanga, has come home in spectacular fashion. In the past few years, India has produced a world champion, won Olympiad gold in both open and women's sections and developed one of the deepest pools of young talent in the world.
Viswanathan Anand became India's first grandmaster in 1988. He went on to win the world championship five times (2000, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012) across different formats, and held the undisputed title from 2007 to 2013. Anand's success made chess a mainstream aspiration in India and inspired a generation of players and coaches. He continues to contribute as a mentor and administrator.
On December 12, 2024, Gukesh Dommaraju of Chennai defeated Ding Liren of China 7.5–6.5 in Singapore to become world champion at age 18, the youngest undisputed world champion in history and India's second classical world champion after Anand.
Praggnanandhaa became one of the youngest grandmasters in history and reached the final of the 2023 FIDE World Cup, losing to Magnus Carlsen. He qualified for the 2024 Candidates Tournament.
Arjun crossed the 2800 rating mark in December 2024, joining a very small group of players to reach that level, and was a key member of India's Olympiad-winning team.
| Year | Venue | India's result |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Tromsø | Open team bronze |
| 2020 | Online | Joint gold with Russia |
| 2022 | Chennai (host) | Bronze in open (India 2) and women's (India 1) sections |
| 2024 | Budapest | Gold in both open and women's sections |
The 2024 double gold was a historic first for India and cemented its status as a chess superpower.
India now has more than 85 grandmasters, a figure that has risen rapidly over the past decade, and many players among the world's top juniors.
Viswanathan Anand, in 1988.
D Gukesh, who won the title at 18 in December 2024.
Yes. India won gold in both open and women's sections at Budapest in 2024, and shared gold in the 2020 online Olympiad.
Many historians trace its origins to chaturanga, played in India around the sixth century CE.
From Anand's lone pioneering path to a generation of world-class players, India's chess story is one of the country's great sporting successes. With deep talent and growing support, India is set to remain at the top of the chess world for years to come.
