At a time when the chess field is dominated by Grandmasters (GM) in their teens or those who are less than 40 years of age, there is one player who is over 50 years of age and continues to orbit in the top global league.
That is the 1969 born former World Chess Champion from India Viswanathan Anand who figures in the top 25 chess players in the world.
According to the latest ranking list issued by the International Chess Federation or FIDE, Anand is ranked 13th with 2,743 ELO points.
On the other hand the 19 year old World Champion D. Gukesh’s accomplishments outshine many other former world champions, the Secretary, UP Chess Sports Association A.K. Raizada and a former national chess player told this writer.
A Veteran Among Prodigies
At 55 years old, Anand is not only the oldest Indian in the top ranks but also the only player born in the 1960s to feature in the top 100.
His continued presence in elite chess contrasts sharply with many of his contemporaries. For example, GM Boris Gelfand (b. 1968) is currently ranked 73rd (2,652), and GM Vasyl Ivanchuk (b. 1969) is 87th (2,641).
Anand’s prowess in faster formats remains undiminished. Known as the `Lightning Kid’ during his school days, Anand is currently ranked 11th in rapid and 18th in blitz, while Gelfand and Ivanchuk are far lower in the same formats—ranked 78th and 70th respectively in rapid, with Ivanchuk 59th in blitz.
Apart from Anand, four other Indian GMs including the reigning World Champion D.Gukesh have secured spots in the top 25 of the global chess rankings.
Interestingly, the top slot amongst the Indians goes to GM R. Praggnanandhaa. With an ELO rating of 2,779, Praggnanandhaa is currently the highest-rated Indian player and ranks 4th globally, according to FIDE.
Close behind him are GMs Arjun Erigaisi and D. Gukesh, ranked 5th and 6th respectively while GM Aravindh Chithambaram rounds out the Indian presence in the top 25 at rank 24.
Globally, Norway’s GM Magnus Carlsen remains the top-rated player with 2,839 points, followed by American GMs Hikaru Nakamura (2,807) and Fabiano Caruana (2,784).
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India’s rise is also evident in the juniors’ category, where nine Indian GMs feature in the top 25. Besides Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa, the list includes:
| Name | Ranking | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Raunak Sadhwani | 4th | 2681 |
| Leon Luke Mendonca | 14th | 2603 |
| V. Pranav | 17th | 2594 |
| M. Pranesh | 18th | 2592 |
| Aditya Mittal | 21st | 2570 |
| Pranav Anand | 24th | 2566 |
| H. Bharath Subramaniyam | 25th | 2561 |
India also leads in the girls’ junior section, where IM Divya Deshmukh holds the top spot globally. Other Indian players in this category include:
| Name | Ranking | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| IM B. Savitha Shri | 10th | 2341 |
| WGM Rakshitta Ravi | 15th | 2329 |
| WIM G. Tejaswini | 20th | 2307 |
| WIM V. Sarayu | 23rd | 2290 |
India’s growing dominance across multiple chess categories underscores its emergence as a global powerhouse in the game.
Gukesh’s Achievement Outshines Other World Champions
Meanwhile Gukesh who stood third in the recently concluded SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz Croatia tournament has several firsts to his credit as compared to other former World Chess Champions, Raizada said.
“A comparison between Gukesh and any former World Champion is meaningful only when their achievements at the age of 18 are considered. By that measure, Gukesh is approximately 4–5 years ahead of others,” Raizada said.
According to Raizada, Gukesh became the World Champion at the age of 18 while Bobby Fischer achieved that at the age of 29, Anatoly Karpov at 24, Kasparov at 22 years, Anand at 31 years, Carlsen at 23 years and Ding Liren when he was 31.
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