New Delhi, August 13 (HS): Rising chess talent Rohit Krishna S has etched his name into Indian sporting history by becoming the nation’s 89th Grandmaster. The 20-year-old achieved this landmark on Tuesday at the Almaty Masters Konaev Cup in Kazakhstan, clinching victory against Armenian International Master Artur Davtyan in the final round. The triumph brought his total score to six points out of nine rounds — enough to secure his coveted third and final GM norm.

A protégé of renowned coach K. Visweswaran, Rohit’s journey to the Grandmaster title has been nothing short of remarkable. He earned his first GM norm in March by winning the Hotel Stockholm North GM Round-Robin Tournament, followed by his second in June at the Dubai Open. Having claimed the title of International Master in 2022, this achievement marks the culmination of years of dedicated training and competition.

India’s tryst with Grandmasters began in 1988 when Viswanathan Anand blazed the trail. Just last month, Divya Deshmukh created history at the FIDE World Cup as India’s 88th Grandmaster. Now, Rohit Krishna S steps into the record books, adding yet another jewel to the crown of Indian chess.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar