New Delhi: India’s newest chess Grandmaster completed the required final norm this week after pausing competitive play for four months to prepare for secondary school examinations. The 16-year-old from Tamil Nadu scored seven points from nine games at the Pune International GM Round Robin, clinching the result with a victory in the last round. He had already secured two earlier norms and surpassed the 2500 rating threshold last December. His father operates a chess academy in Nagercoil, where the player began learning the game at age three. Family members, including his mother and sister, have also been involved in the sport. After early successes in state events, he faced limited access to strong international competitions and later trained with experienced coaches. The teenager noted that academic demands forced a complete break from chess between January and April. He described the Grandmaster title as merely an initial step and set an immediate target of reaching a 2600 rating.
