Anuj Shrivatri: A Chess Dream That Travelled a Generation as He Becomes India’s 100th Grandmaster

For Ashok Shrivatri, chess began as a passion shared with university friends in Bhopal. The students carried chess pieces in their pockets, while painted chessboards on classroom desks gave them a place to play long after their classes ended. Sometimes, they became so absorbed in the game that they even hid beneath the desks when worried parents arrived looking for them.

Decades later, that same love for chess has found a remarkable new chapter. Ashok’s 22-year-old son, Anuj Shrivatri, has become India’s 100th chess Grandmaster and the first from Madhya Pradesh. His achievement is more than a personal milestone. It represents a dream that began with his father’s youthful passion and continued through years of family support, personal sacrifice and determination.

Anuj Shrivatri Becomes India’s 100th Grandmaster

Anuj secured the Grandmaster title after winning the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Championship in the Philippines on Sunday. The victory completed his journey towards one of the most prestigious achievements in competitive chess.

Before earning the title, Anuj had already secured one Grandmaster norm and reached a peak rating of 2483. Despite the significance of the achievement, his first reaction was not simply excitement. Instead, he described his feeling as one of relief after carrying the goal in his mind for a long time.

“It’s just been on my mind for such a long time that to finally get it out the way felt good,” Anuj told Hindustan Times.

One of the first people he contacted after achieving the milestone was his father, Ashok, who now works as a teacher at a railway school in Jabalpur. For Ashok, the phone call represented the fulfilment of a dream that had remained close to his heart since his own university days.

How Ashok Shrivatri’s Love for Chess Inspired His Son

Ashok’s relationship with chess began when he was a university student in Bhopal. He and his friends regularly stayed behind after classes to play on classroom desks that had been painted with chessboards by one of their friends.

At a time when chess was not widely understood or accepted by many families, their passion sometimes created problems at home. Ashok recalled that several parents considered chess a form of gambling and feared that playing it could eventually lead their children towards financial ruin.

“Back then, chess was seen as gambling. Many parents worried that their children would end up selling off family assets and businesses and bring their families to ruin. My friends were regularly beaten by their parents for playing chess. My parents, though, didn’t mind me playing. Of course, in those days neither did we have the means nor the know-how to pursue chess professionally. We played because we loved chess,” Ashok told HT.

After completing university, Ashok moved away from competitive chess. He took up a government job and eventually focused on raising his family. Although his own chess journey did not develop into a professional career, his interest in the game never disappeared completely.

When he became a father, Ashok introduced chess to both his sons. His older son eventually stopped playing, but Anuj developed a deeper interest and wanted to continue. Ashok recognised that commitment and decided to support it.

“I introduced chess to both my sons. My older son stopped playing after a while but Anuj wanted to continue. I had the belief he would make something of it. Whether it’s a chess book he wanted to buy or a tournament he wanted to play, I always said yes first and then figured out how to pay for them,” Ashok said.

Turning Down a Software Engineering Job to Pursue Chess

Anuj Shrivatri’s journey was not limited to chess tournaments and training sessions. Born in Katni, Madhya Pradesh, he also pursued a BTech degree and completed a one-year remote internship with a German company.

At the end of the internship, he received a job offer. It presented him with a conventional career path, including a regular salary and the opportunity to work as a software engineer. However, Anuj decided not to accept it.

Instead, he chose to pursue chess professionally, despite knowing that the road to becoming a Grandmaster could be uncertain and financially challenging.

“It was a very difficult decision at that time,” Anuj said, “because I wasn’t certain how long it will take me to get the GM title. It feels justified now.”

The decision eventually paid off. His victory at the ASEAN Plus Individual Open Championship brought him the Grandmaster title and made him the first player from Madhya Pradesh to reach the milestone.

His journey also highlights the difficult choices that young athletes can face when deciding between a stable professional career and the uncertain demands of pursuing sport at the highest level.

Overcoming the Loss of His First Chess Coach

Anuj’s progress was not without setbacks. One of the most difficult moments came early in his chess career when his first coach, BK Tiwari, died during an Under-9 tournament in Ahmedabad.

The loss left young Anuj without the guidance of his first trainer. Although he continued learning from other coaches, there were long periods when he did not have a full-time trainer.

Rather than allowing the lack of regular coaching to stop his progress, Anuj gradually developed an independent training routine. He focused on studying chess at home, analysing games, practising with friends and learning from his own mistakes.

He also used ChessBase, chess books and online learning platforms such as Chessable and Modern Chess to improve his understanding of the game.

“I learnt to rely on training regularly at home, sometimes training and analysing with friends and learning from my mistakes. I used Chessbase, apart from chess books and courses from Chessable and Modern Chess. I also had some sessions with GMs Vishnu Prasanna, Swayams Mishra and Swapnil Dhopade, which helped me to grasp new aspects of the game.”

These training methods helped Anuj continue developing his skills even when he did not have consistent access to a full-time coach.

Financial Challenges and Support From Indian Oil

Financial support also played an important role during Anuj’s development as a chess player. After he finished fourth at the Under-14 World Youth Championship, Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) sponsored him for three years.

The sponsorship provided valuable assistance during an important phase of his career. However, once that support ended, Anuj had to find ways to finance his tournament participation and continued training largely on his own.

He began combining participation in rapid tournaments across India with coaching young chess players. This allowed him to earn money while remaining connected to the game and continuing his own professional journey.

“I combined playing rapid tournaments in India along with coaching youngsters to fund my journey,” he said. “I trained around 10-15 students rated between 1800 to 2300. I plan to continue coaching.”

His students were rated between 1800 and 2300, giving him the opportunity to work with players who already had considerable experience. Coaching also became an important part of his own development as a chess player.

How Teaching Chess Improved Anuj’s Own Game

For Anuj, coaching was not simply a way to support his career financially. It also helped him understand the game more deeply.

Working with students required him to identify their mistakes, understand why those mistakes happened and find effective ways to prevent them from happening again. That process also encouraged him to examine his own decisions during competitive games.

“When you see your students make mistakes, you need to come up with the best process to make sure it’s not repeated, which helped me as well while playing.”

This experience created a connection between teaching and personal improvement. By explaining chess concepts to others, Anuj strengthened his own understanding and developed a more thoughtful approach to analysing positions and mistakes.

A Family Living Across Cities, United by Chess

The Shrivatri family is now spread across different cities, with each member following a separate routine. Ashok lives in Jabalpur, while his wife, who works as a state government school teacher, lives in Bhopal. Their older son is based in Bengaluru.

Anuj is also based in Bhopal, but his professional commitments mean that he spends much of his time travelling from one tournament to another. His life largely revolves around chess competitions, preparation and training.

Behind his achievement is a family that supported his decision to continue playing even when the outcome was uncertain. Ashok’s willingness to prioritise his son’s chess ambitions helped Anuj pursue opportunities that might otherwise have been difficult to afford.

The father’s early experiences also gave the family a personal connection to the game. Ashok may have moved away from competitive chess after university, but his son carried that passion forward and turned it into a professional achievement.

From Classroom Chessboards to India’s 100th Grandmaster

Anuj Shrivatri’s Grandmaster achievement brings Ashok’s story full circle. What began with university students playing chess on classroom desks in Bhopal has now become a historic milestone for Madhya Pradesh.

Ashok once played chess simply because he loved the game, without the resources or knowledge required to pursue it professionally. Years later, he introduced the game to his children and supported Anuj as he chose to build his future around chess.

Anuj’s journey involved academic commitments, difficult career decisions, the loss of his first coach, periods without a full-time trainer and the challenge of financing his own progress. His achievement in the Philippines reflects the effort he invested in overcoming those obstacles.

For Ashok, however, the most meaningful part of the story is seeing his son achieve something he once dreamed about himself.

“It’s nice when your child ends up living your dream.”

With Anuj becoming India’s 100th Grandmaster and Madhya Pradesh’s first, the Shrivatri family’s chess journey has become part of a wider story about dedication, opportunity and the role of family support in sporting success.