Tamil Nadu’s L R Srihari becomes the 86th Indian Chess Grandmaster

L.R. Srihari became the 86th chess Grandmaster of india by securing his third Grandmaster norm at the Asian Individual Men’s Chess Championship 2025.

Before L R Srihari, P Shyaamnikhil of Tamil Nadu was the 85th chess Grandmaster of India. P Shyaamnikhil won the coveted title on 12 May 2024 at the 2024 Dubai Police Masters Chess Tournament.

The Asian Individual Men’s Chess Championship was held at Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates, from 6 to 15 May 2025.

LR Srihari's Journey to the Grandmaster title 

To earn the Grandmaster title, a male chess player needs to earn at least 2500 FIDE Elo rating points in established classical or standard chess and three Grandmaster norms in international competition.

L. R. Srihari of Tamil Nadu had crossed the minimum 2500 Elo rating points requirement at the 2024 Dubai Open. He earned his first Grandmaster norm at the Budapest GM Round-Robin in August 2023 and the second in October at the 2023 Qatar Masters.

He earned his third and final Grandmaster norm at the Asian Individual Men’s Chess Championship in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.

Indian Chess Players and Grandmaster  Norm

• First Grandmaster - Vishwanathan Anand in 1988.
• First Woman-  Koneru Humpy in 2002. At that time, she was the world’s youngest woman chess Grandmaster at the age of 15 years. 
• At present there are three women Grandmasters in India -  Koneru Humpy, Dronavalli Harika and R. Vaishali.
• First international Master - Manuel Aron in 1961.
• First woman to get International Master title - Jayshree Khadikar in 1979.

What are the different titles in International Chess

The chess world governing body International Chess Federation more famous by its French acronym FIDE award certain titles to the male and female chess player participating in the international tournaments.

The players compete in a FIDE-approved chess tournament in both standard and classical formats to earn Elo rating points.

FIDE awards four titles to men's and women’s chess players, which are lifelong and can be used by the chess players.

Grandmaster (GM)

It is the highest title in Chess, just below the World Championship title.

• Male players- minimum 2500 Elo rating points and three Grandmaster norms.
• Women-  Minimum 2300 Elo ratings and three Grandmasters' norms.

International Master's (IM)

It is the second-highest chess title in the world after GM.

• Male - minimum 2400 Elo points and three international master norms..
• Women- minimum 2200 Elo rating points and three international Master's norms.

FIDE Master

• Male - minimum 2300 Elo rating points, and there is no requirement for any norms. 
• Women- minimum  2200 Elo rating points, and there is no requirement for any norms. 

Candidate Master

• Male - minimum 2200 Elo rating points, and there is no requirement for any norms. 
• Women- minimum 2100 Elo rating points, and there is no requirement for any norms.