Rathanvel VS: India’s 99th Grandmaster

By Rohan Gupta — 19 July 2026 — 3 min read

A long-awaited achievement

Rathanvel VS, a chess player from Coimbatore, has achieved the coveted Grandmaster (GM) title, becoming India’s 99th Grandmaster. This milestone follows a period of over four years during which he had secured the necessary norms but was awaiting the required 2500 Elo rating. The final points were secured in Assam, marking the culmination of a challenging journey.

His path to the title was described as a persistent pursuit, with Rathanvel noting he could have potentially become a Grandmaster years prior. Despite securing multiple GM norms, the 2500 Elo rating remained elusive until recently. He expressed a sense of relief and fulfilment after the long wait.

Rathanvel’s journey included significant challenges, such as fracturing his hand twice and facing disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted international travel. He also pursued a mechanical engineering degree at Hindustan College in Coimbatore during this period, balancing his studies with his chess ambitions.

Overcoming hurdles and strategic play

The pursuit of the 2500 Elo rating was marked by periods of frustration. Rathanvel described a pattern where he would come close to the target, often being just one win away, only to experience setbacks due to pressure or blunders. These moments sometimes led to significant drops in his rating, requiring him to regain lost points.

A particularly difficult moment occurred during a game against David Paravyan in Abu Dhabi, where he felt he was in a winning position but made critical errors. This experience was disheartening, leading him to consider taking a break from chess.

To reach the final Elo points needed, Rathanvel adopted an unconventional strategy. Starting with a FIDE rating of 2492 on July 1, he participated in two rating tournaments in India: the 8th Ayodhya FIDE rating chess tournament and the 3rd Guwahati smart city international rating tournament, both held in Guwahati, Assam. He deliberately played against lower-rated opponents, specifically those under 1600, and achieved ten consecutive wins. Each win contributed 0.8 Elo points, allowing him to accumulate the necessary points to cross the 2500 threshold.

This approach, which involved strategically selecting opponents and winning games, enabled him to secure the final points required for the Grandmaster title. He had previously achieved his third and final GM norm in 2022, and later secured two more, bringing his total to five GM norms.

Support and future aspirations

Financial support played a crucial role in Rathanvel’s development. He received sponsorship from MPL (Mobile Premier League) from 2019 to 2025. During an MPL-organised event called the Chess Mahayudh, he played for twelve hours non-stop, achieving 256 wins out of 265 games and winning a prize of Rs 5 lakh.

However, this sponsorship ended due to the Indian government’s ban on real-money gaming platforms. His family, including his father Sivakumar and mother Senthil Vadivu, who run a wedding card printing business in Coimbatore, also provided support. His younger brother, Rohith, is a lawyer.

Rathanvel’s coaching network expanded over the years to include notable mentors such as GM Vishnu Prasanna, GM Srinath Narayanan, GM Sundararajan Kidambi, and GM Shyam Sundar. He acknowledged that the support and hope from his parents were key motivators during difficult times.

With the Grandmaster title, Rathanvel anticipates increased visibility and reduced financial burdens, as organisers may offer accommodation and other benefits. While he acknowledges that top invitational events typically require a higher rating of 2650 or more, he is already teaching chess online as a freelance tutor and plans to establish his own academy. He mentioned that his life might continue to revolve around chess.

The achievement follows a recent period where Indian chess saw three other players, Ethan Vaz, Harshvardhan GB, and Aswath S, attain the Grandmaster title within a 12-day span.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Rohan Gupta

Sports Reporter