Exclusive: India gets its 98th GM! The making of teenage chess sensation Aswath S

India’s 98th Grandmaster, Aswath S, achieved the coveted title after securing his final GM norm at the Pune International GM Round Robin 2026. The Tamil Nadu teenager overcame a four-month break for his Class 10 board exams, drawing inspiration from his family of chess coaches and mentors, and now has his sights set on breaking into the world’s elite.