BREAKING barriers in the heart of India, 22-year-old Anuj Shrivatri has etched his name into the annals of sporting history. While the nation was immersed in the festive glow of Diwali, Shrivatri was locked in a high-stakes tactical battle in the Philippines, securing his status as India’s 100th Grandmaster. This milestone is not just a personal victory for the Katni native; it marks a historic first for the state of Madhya Pradesh, which has finally produced a Grandmaster of its own.
The path to the title was anything but a straight line. For years, Shrivatri hovered agonizingly close to the elite status, missing out on the required norms on at least four or five occasions. That history of “near-misses” made his success in the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship all the more poignant.
“The feeling right now is mostly relief,” Shrivatri told TimesofIndia.com from the tournament site. “I had been trying for the GM title for a long time. There were so many times my GM norms were missed. So now that the title is finally complete, I’m feeling a lot of relief.”
A Father’s Hobby, A Son’s Calling
Shrivatri’s journey began humbly, influenced by his father, Ashok Kumar Shrivatri, a teacher with the Indian Railways who kept a college-day passion for chess alive at home. Introduced to the board at the age of five, Anuj quickly surpassed his elder brother—now a software engineer in Bengaluru—in his dedication to the 64 squares.
His development was nurtured by a succession of mentors, starting with Virendra Tiwari and culminating in his work with Rajesh Bahadur, under whom he earned his International Master (IM) title in 2019. However, the global disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic nearly derailed his professional ambitions. Caught in a crisis of confidence and uncertainty regarding the viability of a professional chess career, Shrivatri pivoted toward academics, eventually completing a BTech in Computer Science.
It was during this period of transition that the competitive fire reignited. In 2025, after a stint in academics, Shrivatri made a life-altering decision: he would pursue chess full-time. When a corporate job offer landed in his inbox, he made the bold, calculated choice to decline it, opting instead to commit his next two years exclusively to the quest for the Grandmaster title.
The Price of the Dream
Going “all-in” on chess came at a steep personal cost. Without corporate sponsorship, Shrivatri was forced to self-fund his international campaign, relying on the modest earnings from rapid tournaments and private coaching gigs to finance his travel.
The financial strain meant that competing against elite, 2600-plus-rated opposition was a luxury he couldn’t always afford. “Finances were the biggest struggle, because I was managing everything myself,” he explained. “One tournament can cost around a lakh rupees just to go and play. It’s a very risky decision.”
Despite these hurdles, his resilience shone through in the Philippines. After a disappointing opening-round loss—a result he attributes to being overly aggressive with the Black pieces—he recalibrated his entire psychological approach. Shrivatri adopted a disciplined, “wait-and-see” strategy for the remainder of the event, remaining unbeaten for eight straight games. He finished with an impressive 7/9, edging out Vietnamese GM Nguyen Duc Hoa to claim the title.
Building a Legacy
The sporting fraternity in Madhya Pradesh is celebrating a long-overdue milestone. Akshat Khamparia, the state’s first IM, has spent years championing the development of local players, often using banners and public recognition to boost their profiles. Khamparia, who has consistently encouraged Shrivatri to seek the stability of a sports-quota position, views this achievement as the culmination of years of quiet, persistent hard work.
Shrivatri is now set to join the Western Railway, having completed his medical requirements, providing him the long-sought balance between a professional career and his competitive pursuits.
However, for a man who has already overcome so much, the milestone is merely a checkpoint. When asked if he is satisfied, Shrivatri’s response reflects the mindset of a true grandmaster: “Satisfied isn’t really the right word. You should never become complacent in life. You should enjoy the milestone, of course, but in general, you should never settle.”
With a new rating goal of 2600 and a burning desire to dominate the tournament circuit, India’s newest Grandmaster is not stopping to rest. For Anuj Shrivatri, the next chapter of his chess career is just beginning, and if his past is any indication, the world can expect a lot more than just patience from this young tactician.
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