List of Indian chess players

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Amongst Indian chess players there are 85 Grandmasters (GM); 124 International Masters (IM); 23 Woman Grandmasters (WGM), including some who also hold the higher IM title; and 42 Woman International Masters (WIM) as of May 2023, according to FIDE, the International Chess Federation.

As of December 2023, the top 10 active Indian chess players have an average rating of 2703, the 2nd highest in the world, behind the United States. The top 10 active women Indian players have an average rating of 2429, the 2nd highest in the world behind China.

As of 2023, 24 different players have been conferred with the highest civilian and sports honours of India, including the Padma awards and the Arjuna Award. Viswanathan Anand was the first sportsperson to receive the second-highest civilian award, Padma Vibhushan, in 2008 and the inaugural highest sports award, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (now called Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award), in 1991–92.

The list of top 10 active players as of December 2023.^[1][2] The top 100 players of the world include 9 Indian players, amongst them Viswananthan Anand at Rank 10.^[3] The top 100 women players of the world include 10 Indian players, amongst them Koneru Humpy at Rank 3.^[4]

The list of top 10 active junior (under the age of 20 as of 1 January of that year) players as of December 2023. The top 100 junior players of the world include 20 Indian players, among them Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu at Rank 2, Arjun Erigaisi at Rank 5, Gukesh D at rank 6, and Nihal Sarin at Rank 8.^[7] The top 100 junior girl players of the world include 7 Indian players, among them Velpula Sarayu at rank 2, Divya Deshmukh at rank 5 and Savitha Shri B at rank 12.^[8]

As of 2022, 24 different individuals have been conferred India's top civilian and sports awards. Five different individuals have been conferred the Padma awards.^[9] Anupama Gokhale was the first chess player to be awarded the Padma Shri at the age of 16 in 1986. Viswanathan Anand became the first sportsperson to receive the second highest civilian award, Padma Vibhushan, in 2008 after becoming the undisputed World Chess Champion in 2007.^[10][11]

Nineteen different individuals have received top sports honours of India as of 2023. Anand was the recipient of the inaugural highest sports award Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 1991–92. Twenty individuals have been awarded the Arjuna Award for exceptional performance in chess at the international level. Manuel Aaron was the first chess player to receive this award in its inception year of 1961.^[12] Rohini Khadilkar was the second chess player and first female chess player to receive this award in 1980–81. In total, seven women chess players have received this award. Three chess coaches—Raghunandan Gokhle (spouse of Anupama Gokhale), Koneru Ashok (father and coach of Koneru Humpy), and Ramachandran Ramesh (a.k.a RB Ramesh, coach of siblings Praggnanandhaa and Vaishali Rameshbabu)—have received the Dronacharya Award, the highest sports coaching honour of India.^[13]

Players conferred with Padma awards

Viswanathan Anand
Padma Vibhushan

Koneru Humpy
Padma Shri

Harika Dronavalli
Padma Shri

Players conferred with Arjuna awards

Manuel Aaron

Rohini Khadilkar

Dibyendu Barua

Subbaraman Vijayalakshmi

Krishnan Sasikiran

Tania Sachdev

As of December 2023, India has 84 Grandmasters (GM) including 3 female players holding the title, 136 International Masters (IM) including 9 female players holding the title, 18 Woman Grandmasters (WGM), 43 Woman International Masters (WIM) and a total of 33,028 rated players.^[22][23] Female rated players are 3,534 in number forming 10.7% of the total rated players of India.^[24] The first titled player of India was Manuel Aaron, when he became the first IM of India in 1961. Viswanathan Anand became India's first GM in 1988.^[12][25]

The first Indian to obtain WIM title was Jayshree Khadilkar in 1979 and WGM title was Subbaraman Vijayalakshmi in 2001.^[26] The first Indian woman to become GM was Koneru Humpy in 2002 and IM was Subbaraman Vijayalakshmi in 2002.^[27]

• Chess in India
• List of chess grandmasters
• List of female chess players

• Top Indian Players - FIDE List
• All India Chess Federation Player Search