Aswath S: India’s 98th Grandmaster Triumphs After Balancing Chess and Academics

Aswath S: India’s 98th Grandmaster Triumphs After a Long Journey

NEW DELHI: The nerves of sitting for a Class 10 board exam are familiar to many, but for Aswath S, India’s newly crowned 98th Grandmaster (GM), it meant a four-month hiatus from his beloved chessboard. The teenager from Tamil Nadu, who had already secured two GM norms, needed just one more to achieve the prestigious title. That moment arrived on Wednesday at the Pune International GM Round Robin 2026, where he clinched his third and final GM norm.

In a thrilling final round, Aswath defeated FM Kannan Vaidyanathan with the black pieces, finishing the tournament with an impressive score of 7/9 points. “It is very amazing to feel that I’m a Grandmaster right now,” Aswath shared in an exclusive interview with Times of India. “It had slipped away for almost the last two years. I crossed 2500 in December, so after that, I had to score only the norms, but it took me so long.”

Aswath’s journey to this milestone began at a young age. He secured his first GM norm by winning the Grenke Open A, outpacing several seasoned Grandmasters, and his second at the First Saturday GM Round Robin in Budapest in December 2025, where he also crossed the 2500 FIDE rating mark.

A Family Legacy in Chess

Born into a family of chess coaches in Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu, Aswath’s chess journey started at just three years old, guided by his father, A.C. Siva, who runs a chess academy. “I started playing chess when I was three years old, and my coach was my father,” he recalled. By the age of seven, he had already won the Under-7 Tamil Nadu State Championship with a perfect score of 9 out of 9, solidifying his passion for the game.

With his mother, Sheela, also teaching at the academy and his elder sister having competed in chess, the sport is deeply woven into the fabric of their family life.

Overcoming Challenges

Despite his early promise, Aswath faced numerous hurdles on his path to becoming a Grandmaster. “Tournament exposure was a challenge because we don’t get to play big events in India early on,” he explained. “In India, lower-rated players are often underrated, and it can be easier to gain rating points abroad, but sponsorship is a significant hurdle.”

His breakthrough came when he began training with IM Senthil Maran after the pandemic and later with GM Shyam Sundar in late 2023. “He is a very hardworking kid, passionate, and determined,” Sundar praised. “He listens and adapts, which is crucial for his growth.”

A Bright Future Ahead

Now, with the GM title secured, Aswath is focused on the future. Balancing his academic commitments as a commerce student in 11th grade at Velammal School in Chennai, he noted, “This was my first classical tournament this year because I had to study for my 10th board exams. For four months, from January to April, I didn’t see chess.”

Looking ahead, Aswath is determined to continue his ascent in the chess world. “GM is just the start of the real chess world,” he concluded. “My short-term goal would be 2600.”

As the chess community celebrates his achievement, the question remains: How do you feel about young prodigies like Aswath S achieving the title of Grandmaster at such a young age?

Join the conversation and share your opinion!