Origin of Chess – India
If you ever wonder that chess was originated in which country? Answer to this is none other than India! Yes, in ancient history, Indians referred Chess with names such as ‘Chaturanga and ‘Shataranj’ as early as 7th century.
Chess was seen as central to strategy across multiple domains since then in India!
India’s First Grand Master (GM) – Vishy 1988
When it came to Grand Master(GM) title, India had to wait till 1988 when India got its first GM Viswanathan Anand. We all know, what Vishy did. Just a thought, from mid 1980s till date August 2022, Vishy is still a number 1 player in India and elite category across the globe!
Vishy Inspired a Generation of Indian Chess GMsSoon, Vishy from lightening kid in later 1980s and early 1990s reached highest point in Chess world. i.e. World Chess Championship in 1995 against great Garry Kasparov! Vishy wasn’t lucky then but after several near missed, from 2000 to 2013 Vishy won world championship 5 times, numerous famous chess tournament, became kind of speed chess viz. rapid and blitz.
All this had a huge impact on chess playing countries but biggest in India. We all got a role model. Vishy on the board was staggering and off the board was immensely admirable!
India’s 75th GM in August 2022 where India Celebrates 75th Independence Day
India slowly and surely got a momentum. From once in a year or two years event, India became a regular name in adding GMs. Slowly, we started making a count of GMs. In 2019, India got its 64th GM where it proudly reached a landmark of India’s chessboard is now complete (by keeping 1 GM on each square, so 64 GMs)
Journey went on, maybe with Covid it has a small hiatus, but it resumed with rejuvenated
Speed and coincidently in 75th Independence day, India got its 75h GM viz. Pranav V.
Credits to ChessbaseIndia who came up with this wonderful collage of 75 GMsState wise distribution in India goes like this –
Are you going to add count here or motivate somebody else to do so? In either case you win!
India has achieved 60+ GMs in last 15 years, so the trend is promising. Chess is a wonderful game which develops an individual in multiple aspects of life, so are you going to add a number on above graph? Do you know someone who can be a potential GM? If not you, are you helping someone to be a GM for India?
