Anuj Shrivatrai Becomes India’s 100th Grandmaster After Quitting Tech Job to Pursue Chess

India has reached a historic milestone in chess, with the country’s Grandmaster tally rising to 100. Madhya Pradesh’s 22-year-old Anuj Shrivatrai became India’s 100th Grandmaster after winning the Asian Plus Open Championship in the Philippines. With this victory, he crossed the 2,500 Elo rating mark and secured the third and final norm required for the Grandmaster title. Chess legend Viswanathan Anand became India’s first Grandmaster in 1988. Notably, five players from India have earned the Grandmaster title since July this year, highlighting the country’s growing strength in international chess.

Anuj’s journey to the milestone involved several challenges and a major career decision. Hailing from Katni in Madhya Pradesh, he began playing chess at the age of seven and earned the International Master title in 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic interrupted his progress towards becoming a Grandmaster, as opportunities to participate in tournaments became limited. He then focused on academics and completed a BTech degree with specialisation in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. His technical skills helped him secure a job with a German software company. However, his passion for chess remained strong, prompting him to give up the opportunity to move to Germany and take up the job. With the encouragement and support of his parents, he continued pursuing chess and eventually achieved the distinction of becoming India’s 100th Grandmaster.