List of Indian chess players
Updated: 5/20/2026, 7:39:26 PM Wikipedia source
Amongst Indian chess players there are 95 Grandmasters (GM); 123 International Masters (IM); 23 Woman Grandmasters (WGM), including some who also hold the higher IM title; and 42 Woman International Masters (WIM) as of June 2025. India has over 30,000 players rated by FIDE, the International Chess Federation. As of July 2025, the top 10 active Indian chess players have an average rating of 2725, the 2nd highest in the world, behind the United States. The top 10 active women Indian players have an average rating of 2412, the 2nd highest in the world behind China. As of 2023, 24 different players have been conferred with the highest civilian and sports honours of India, including the Padma awards and the Arjuna Award. Viswanathan Anand was the first sportsperson to receive the second-highest civilian award, Padma Vibhushan, in 2008 and the inaugural highest sports award, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (now called Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award), in 1991–92.
Tables
Top Male Players
Arjun Erigaisi
Arjun Erigaisi
Col 1
1
Name
Arjun Erigaisi
Rating
2730
Title
GM
State
Telangana
Birth
3 Sep 2003
Praggnanandhaa R
Praggnanandhaa R
Col 1
2
Name
Praggnanandhaa R
Rating
2771
Title
GM
State
Tamil Nadu
Birth
10 Aug 2005
Gukesh D
Gukesh D
Col 1
3
Name
Gukesh D
Rating
2752
Title
GM
State
Tamil Nadu
Birth
29 May 2006
Viswanathan Anand
Viswanathan Anand
Col 1
4
Name
Viswanathan Anand
Rating
2743
Title
GM
State
Tamil Nadu
Birth
11 Dec 1969
Vidit Gujrathi
Vidit Gujrathi
Col 1
5
Name
Vidit Gujrathi
Rating
2715
Title
GM
State
Maharashtra
Birth
24 Oct 1994
Aravindh Chithambaram
Aravindh Chithambaram
Col 1
6
Name
Aravindh Chithambaram
Rating
2711
Title
GM
State
Tamil Nadu
Birth
11 Sep 1999
Pentala Harikrishna
Pentala Harikrishna
Col 1
7
Name
Pentala Harikrishna
Rating
2700
Title
GM
State
Andhra Pradesh
Birth
10 May 1986
Nihal Sarin
Nihal Sarin
Col 1
8
Name
Nihal Sarin
Rating
2700
Title
GM
State
Kerala
Birth
13 Jul 2004
Karthikeyan Murali
Karthikeyan Murali
Col 1
9
Name
Karthikeyan Murali
Rating
2647
Title
GM
State
Tamil Nadu
Birth
5 Jan 1999
Raunak Sadhwani
Raunak Sadhwani
Col 1
10
Name
Raunak Sadhwani
Rating
2658
Title
GM
State
Maharashtra
Birth
22 Dec 2005
2721
2721
Col 1
Average
Name
2721
Rating
2nd out of 201 countries
| Name | Rating | Title | State | Birth | |
| 1 | Arjun Erigaisi | 2730 | GM | Telangana | 3 Sep 2003 |
| 2 | Praggnanandhaa R | 2771 | GM | Tamil Nadu | 10 Aug 2005 |
| 3 | Gukesh D | 2752 | GM | Tamil Nadu | 29 May 2006 |
| 4 | Viswanathan Anand | 2743 | GM | Tamil Nadu | 11 Dec 1969 |
| 5 | Vidit Gujrathi | 2715 | GM | Maharashtra | 24 Oct 1994 |
| 6 | Aravindh Chithambaram | 2711 | GM | Tamil Nadu | 11 Sep 1999 |
| 7 | Pentala Harikrishna | 2700 | GM | Andhra Pradesh | 10 May 1986 |
| 8 | Nihal Sarin | 2700 | GM | Kerala | 13 Jul 2004 |
| 9 | Karthikeyan Murali | 2647 | GM | Tamil Nadu | 5 Jan 1999 |
| 10 | Raunak Sadhwani | 2658 | GM | Maharashtra | 22 Dec 2005 |
| Average | 2721 | 2nd out of 201 countries | |||
Top Female Players
Humpy Koneru
Humpy Koneru
Col 1
1
Name
Humpy Koneru
Rating
2535
Title
GM
State
Andhra Pradesh
Birth
31 Mar 1987
Divya Deshmukh
Divya Deshmukh
Col 1
2
Name
Divya Deshmukh
Rating
2478
Title
GM
State
Maharashtra
Birth
9 Dec 2005
Harika Dronavalli
Harika Dronavalli
Col 1
3
Name
Harika Dronavalli
Rating
2467
Title
GM
State
Andhra Pradesh
Birth
12 Jan 1991
Vaishali Rameshbabu
Vaishali Rameshbabu
Col 1
4
Name
Vaishali Rameshbabu
Rating
2452
Title
GM
State
Tamil Nadu
Birth
21 Jun 2001
Tania Sachdev
Tania Sachdev
Col 1
5
Name
Tania Sachdev
Rating
2396
Title
IM
State
Delhi
Birth
20 Aug 1986
Vantika Agrawal
Vantika Agrawal
Col 1
6
Name
Vantika Agrawal
Rating
2381
Title
IM
State
Uttar Pradesh
Birth
28 Sep 2002
Padmini Rout
Padmini Rout
Col 1
7
Name
Padmini Rout
Rating
2362
Title
IM
State
Odisha
Birth
5 Jan 1994
Prishita Gupta
Prishita Gupta
Col 1
8
Name
Prishita Gupta
Rating
2353
Title
WFM
State
Delhi
Birth
1 Jan 2011
Rakshitta Ravi
Rakshitta Ravi
Col 1
9
Name
Rakshitta Ravi
Rating
2326
Title
WGM
State
Tamil Nadu
Birth
10 Apr 1996
Savitha Shri B
Savitha Shri B
Col 1
10
Name
Savitha Shri B
Rating
2321
Title
IM
State
Tamil Nadu
Birth
25 Jan 2007
2407
2407
Col 1
Average
Name
2407
Rating
2nd out of 201 countries
| Name | Rating | Title | State | Birth | |
| 1 | Humpy Koneru | 2535 | GM | Andhra Pradesh | 31 Mar 1987 |
| 2 | Divya Deshmukh | 2478 | GM | Maharashtra | 9 Dec 2005 |
| 3 | Harika Dronavalli | 2467 | GM | Andhra Pradesh | 12 Jan 1991 |
| 4 | Vaishali Rameshbabu | 2452 | GM | Tamil Nadu | 21 Jun 2001 |
| 5 | Tania Sachdev | 2396 | IM | Delhi | 20 Aug 1986 |
| 6 | Vantika Agrawal | 2381 | IM | Uttar Pradesh | 28 Sep 2002 |
| 7 | Padmini Rout | 2362 | IM | Odisha | 5 Jan 1994 |
| 8 | Prishita Gupta | 2353 | WFM | Delhi | 1 Jan 2011 |
| 9 | Rakshitta Ravi | 2326 | WGM | Tamil Nadu | 10 Apr 1996 |
| 10 | Savitha Shri B | 2321 | IM | Tamil Nadu | 25 Jan 2007 |
| Average | 2407 | 2nd out of 201 countries | |||
Top Male Juniors
Praggnanandhaa R
Praggnanandhaa R
Col 1
1
Name
Praggnanandhaa R
Rating
2785
Title
GM
State
Tamil Nadu
Birth
10 Aug 2005
Gukesh D
Gukesh D
Col 1
2
Name
Gukesh D
Rating
2767
Title
GM
State
Tamil Nadu
Birth
29 May 2006
Raunak Sadhwani
Raunak Sadhwani
Col 1
3
Name
Raunak Sadhwani
Rating
2658
Title
GM
State
Maharashtra
Birth
22 Dec 2005
Leon Luke Mendonca
Leon Luke Mendonca
Col 1
4
Name
Leon Luke Mendonca
Rating
2615
Title
GM
State
Goa
Birth
13 Mar 2006
Pranesh M
Pranesh M
Col 1
5
Name
Pranesh M
Rating
2611
Title
GM
State
Tamil Nadu
Birth
26 Aug 2006
Pranav Anand
Pranav Anand
Col 1
6
Name
Pranav Anand
Rating
2603
Title
GM
State
Tamil Nadu
Birth
6 Nov 2006
Pranav V
Pranav V
Col 1
7
Name
Pranav V
Rating
2596
Title
GM
State
Karnataka
Birth
13 Oct 2006
Aditya Mittal
Aditya Mittal
Col 1
8
Name
Aditya Mittal
Rating
2589
Title
GM
State
Maharashtra
Birth
9 Sep 2006
Bharath Subramaniyam
Bharath Subramaniyam
Col 1
9
Name
Bharath Subramaniyam
Rating
2565
Title
GM
State
Tamil Nadu
Birth
17 Oct 2007
Aditya Samant
Aditya Samant
Col 1
10
Name
Aditya Samant
Rating
2517
Title
IM
State
Maharashtra
Birth
9 September 2006
| Name | Rating | Title | State | Birth | |
| 1 | Praggnanandhaa R | 2785 | GM | Tamil Nadu | 10 Aug 2005 |
| 2 | Gukesh D | 2767 | GM | Tamil Nadu | 29 May 2006 |
| 3 | Raunak Sadhwani | 2658 | GM | Maharashtra | 22 Dec 2005 |
| 4 | Leon Luke Mendonca | 2615 | GM | Goa | 13 Mar 2006 |
| 5 | Pranesh M | 2611 | GM | Tamil Nadu | 26 Aug 2006 |
| 6 | Pranav Anand | 2603 | GM | Tamil Nadu | 6 Nov 2006 |
| 7 | Pranav V | 2596 | GM | Karnataka | 13 Oct 2006 |
| 8 | Aditya Mittal | 2589 | GM | Maharashtra | 9 Sep 2006 |
| 9 | Bharath Subramaniyam | 2565 | GM | Tamil Nadu | 17 Oct 2007 |
| 10 | Aditya Samant | 2517 | IM | Maharashtra | 9 September 2006 |
Top Female Juniors
Divya Deshmukh
Divya Deshmukh
Col 1
1
Name
Divya Deshmukh
Rating
2478
Title
GM
State
Maharashtra
Birth
9 Dec 2005
Prishita Gupta
Prishita Gupta
Col 1
2
Name
Prishita Gupta
Rating
2353
Title
WFM
State
Delhi
Birth
2011
Rakshitta Ravi
Rakshitta Ravi
Col 1
3
Name
Rakshitta Ravi
Rating
2326
Title
WGM
State
Tamil Nadu
Birth
24 Apr 2005
Savitha Shri B
Savitha Shri B
Col 1
4
Name
Savitha Shri B
Rating
2321
Title
IM
State
Tamil Nadu
Birth
25 Jan 2007
Velpula Sarayu
Velpula Sarayu
Col 1
5
Name
Velpula Sarayu
Rating
2284
Title
WIM
State
Telangana
Birth
1 Jan 2006
Tejaswini G
Tejaswini G
Col 1
6
Name
Tejaswini G
Rating
2277
Title
WIM
State
Tamil Nadu
Birth
2007
Shubhi Gupta
Shubhi Gupta
Col 1
7
Name
Shubhi Gupta
Rating
2271
Title
WFM
State
Uttar Pradesh
Birth
2011
Sherali Pattnaik
Sherali Pattnaik
Col 1
8
Name
Sherali Pattnaik
Rating
2270
Title
FM
State
Uttarakhand
Birth
27 Apr 2007
Sahithi Varshini M
Sahithi Varshini M
Col 1
9
Name
Sahithi Varshini M
Rating
2266
Title
FM
State
Andhra Pradesh
Birth
27 Apr 2007
Kolagatla Alana Meenakshi
Kolagatla Alana Meenakshi
Col 1
10
Name
Kolagatla Alana Meenakshi
Rating
2260
Title
WFM
State
Andhra Pradesh
Birth
2011
| Name | Rating | Title | State | Birth | |
| 1 | Divya Deshmukh | 2478 | GM | Maharashtra | 9 Dec 2005 |
| 2 | Prishita Gupta | 2353 | WFM | Delhi | 2011 |
| 3 | Rakshitta Ravi | 2326 | WGM | Tamil Nadu | 24 Apr 2005 |
| 4 | Savitha Shri B | 2321 | IM | Tamil Nadu | 25 Jan 2007 |
| 5 | Velpula Sarayu | 2284 | WIM | Telangana | 1 Jan 2006 |
| 6 | Tejaswini G | 2277 | WIM | Tamil Nadu | 2007 |
| 7 | Shubhi Gupta | 2271 | WFM | Uttar Pradesh | 2011 |
| 8 | Sherali Pattnaik | 2270 | FM | Uttarakhand | 27 Apr 2007 |
| 9 | Sahithi Varshini M | 2266 | FM | Andhra Pradesh | 27 Apr 2007 |
| 10 | Kolagatla Alana Meenakshi | 2260 | WFM | Andhra Pradesh | 2011 |
· Decorated players
| Name | State | Year | Title | M/F | Ref. | |
| Padma Vibhushan | ||||||
| 1 | Viswanathan Anand | Tamil Nadu | 2008 | GM | M | |
| Padma Bhushan | ||||||
| - | Viswanathan Anand | Tamil Nadu | 2001 | GM | M | |
| Padma Shri | ||||||
| 2 | Anupama Gokhale | Maharashtra | 1986 | WIM | F | |
| 3 | Bhagyashree Thipsay | Maharashtra | 1987 | WIM | F | |
| - | Viswanathan Anand | Tamil Nadu | 1988 | GM | M | |
| 4 | Koneru Humpy | Andhra Pradesh | 2007 | GM | F | |
| 5 | Harika Dronavalli | Andhra Pradesh | 2019 | GM | F | |
| Khel Ratna | ||||||
| - | Viswanathan Anand | Tamil Nadu | 1991-92 | GM | M | |
| 6 | Gukesh D | Tamil Nadu | 2024 | GM | M | |
| Arjuna Award | ||||||
| 7 | Manuel Aaron | Tamil Nadu | 1961 | IM | M | |
| 8 | Rohini Khadilkar | Maharashtra | 1980–81 | WIM | F | |
| 9 | Dibyendu Barua | West Bengal | 1983 | GM | M | |
| 10 | Pravin Thipsay | Maharashtra | 1984 | GM | M | |
| - | Viswanathan Anand | Tamil Nadu | 1985 | GM | M | |
| - | Bhagyashree Thipsay | Maharashtra | 1987 | WIM | F | |
| 11 | Devaki Prasad | Karnataka | 1987 | IM | M | |
| - | Anupama Gokhale | Maharashtra | 1990 | WIM | F | |
| 12 | Subbaraman Vijayalakshmi | Tamil Nadu | 2000 | IM | F | |
| 13 | Krishnan Sasikiran | Tamil Nadu | 2002 | GM | M | |
| - | Koneru Humpy | Andhra Pradesh | 2003 | GM | F | |
| 14 | Surya Shekhar Ganguly | West Bengal | 2005 | GM | M | |
| 15 | Pentala Harikrishna | Andhra Pradesh | 2006 | GM | M | |
| - | Harika Dronavalli | Andhra Pradesh | 2007 | GM | F | |
| 16 | Tania Sachdev | Delhi | 2009 | IM | F | |
| 17 | Parimarjan Negi | Delhi | 2010 | GM | M | |
| 18 | Abhijeet Gupta | Delhi | 2013 | GM | M | |
| 19 | R Praggnanandhaa | Tamil Nadu | 2022 | GM | M | |
| 20 | Bhakti Kulkarni | Goa | 2022 | IM | F | |
| 21 | R Vaishali | Tamil Nadu | 2023 | IM | F | |
| Dronacharya Award | ||||||
| 22 | Raghunandan Gokhle | Maharashtra | 1986 | CM | M | |
| 23 | Koneru Ashok | Andhra Pradesh | 2006 | M | ||
| 24 | RB Ramesh | Tamil Nadu | 2023 | GM | M | |
| Dhyan Chand Award | ||||||
| 25 | Abhijit Kunte | Maharashtra | 2021 | GM | M | |