RELIEF, rather than jubilant celebration, is the defining emotion for VS Rathanvel after a surreal, years-long pursuit of his Grandmaster title. The 25-year-old from Coimbatore, who recently became India’s 99th Grandmaster, found himself in the unprecedented position of having to earn the honor twice after a bizarre administrative erasure left his initial breakthrough in limbo.
### The Phantom Milestone
Last July, the Indian chess community erupted in celebration. Reports flooded the media declaring Rathanvel had finally crossed the 2500 FIDE rating threshold during the Guwahati Smart City International Open. For Rathanvel, it was the culmination of a four-year grind. Having secured his GM norms by 2022, he had spent years agonizing in the high 2490s, admitting to reaching the precipice of the required rating “probably three or four times.”
When the August rating list was published, however, the champagne remained on ice. Rathanvel’s rating had not budged. Despite his performance in Assam—where he tactically skipped several rounds to maneuver through lower-rated opponents—the results did not reflect on his official profile. While his opponents saw their own ratings updated for those games, Rathanvel’s ledger remained static, effectively erasing the tournament from his record as far as FIDE was concerned.
### What Went Wrong?
The discrepancy highlighted the complex, often opaque nature of FIDE’s Title Regulations. While Rathanvel’s strategy of taking zero-point byes to avoid high-risk pairings was technically within the rules of the events, FIDE’s Qualification Commission reserves the right to invalidate games if they suspect a tournament was manipulated to benefit a specific player’s title pursuit.
Under Clause 1.4.2 of the FIDE Handbook, tournaments that provide “particular opponents not otherwise participating in the event” or that significantly alter structures to favor a single player can face total disqualification. Whether due to this clause or administrative friction, the governing bodies remained silent, leaving the player with no explanation and a public reputation that suddenly didn’t match his official credentials.
“I have no idea,” Rathanvel admitted in an exclusive interview. “FIDE and the Indian Chess Federation may have had some discussion. I was not able to get satisfactory responses.”
### The Weight of an Announcement
The fallout was psychological, not just administrative. Having been hailed as the 99th GM by national media, the sudden reversal placed immense pressure on his shoulders. “If people say that you achieved something, and suddenly they also say that it’s not yours, the pressure was obviously there,” he reflected.
The weight of the unverified title hampered his focus in subsequent tournaments. It was only through the guidance of an anonymous mentor—a secret he keeps closely guarded—that Rathanvel managed to regain his composure and refocus on the board rather than the scoreboard.
### Doing It Again: The Road to 2501
Determined to settle the matter beyond any doubt, Rathanvel took the path of absolute, unavoidable merit. In October, he dominated the 22nd Chefchaouen International Open in Morocco, remaining unbeaten and securing a title win while defeating seasoned Grandmasters like Deep Sengupta.
However, the margin for error remained razor-thin. After hitting a live rating of 2497.7, he realized that relying on rounding figures was risky. He opted for total certainty at the Dr. Kantor Sandor Memorial in Debrecen, Hungary. By defeating WFM Sara Maria Sunea and GM Attila Czebe in back-to-back rounds, he pushed his live rating to 2501.1. This time, there was no room for interpretation or administrative debate. The 2500 barrier was shattered unequivocally.
For Rathanvel, the journey to the 99th GM spot has been a grueling lesson in resilience. When asked if the second official confirmation felt better than the first, his response was weary but honest. “Eventually things went well, and I’m kind of relieved more than a celebration, I would say.”
He waited four years for a number, saw it celebrated, watched it vanish, and then went out and earned it for the second time. In the high-stakes world of elite chess, the title is finally his—and this time, it is officially set in stone.
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