Published: 15 January 2026ChessBase IndiaGeneral
Aaryan Varshney Becomes India's 92nd Chess Grandmaster
Delhi's Aaryan Varshney, 21, became India's 92nd Chess Grandmaster on January 16, 2026, after earning his final GM norm at the 16th Andranik Margaryan Memorial in Armenia. He won the tournament convincingly with 7/9, remaining unbeaten and finishing 1.5 points ahead of his nearest rival, Russian GM Aleksey Goganov.
Varshney achieved the milestone with a FIDE rating of 2513 and is the 8th GM from Delhi. Remarkably, he accomplished this without a chess coach. Separated from his mother at age five, his father Gaurav Varshney single-handedly supported his chess journey. His first GM norm came at the 34th Vasilis Theoridis Kavala Open in August 2025.
0Mains angle
Q: Highlight the achievement of Aaryan Varshney becoming India's 92nd chess Grandmaster and its significance for Indian chess development.
Answer (50 words):
Delhi's Aaryan Varshney, 21, became India's 92nd chess Grandmaster on January 16, 2026, earning his final GM norm at the 16th Andranik Margaryan Memorial in Armenia. He won unbeaten with 7/9, 1.5 points ahead of Russian GM Aleksey Goganov, achieved a FIDE rating of 2513, Delhi's eighth Grandmaster.
6-axis classification
CoverageNationalSubjectSportsExamBasic Computer Instructor · CET Graduation · CET Senior Secondary · EO/RO · LDC · Mahila Supervisor · Patwar · PTI · RAS · REET · RPSC SI · School Lecturer · Senior Computer Instructor · Senior Teacher · UPSC · Vanpal · PrelimsSourceChessBase India
Practice MCQ from this story
SolveTap an option below. Correct or incorrect feedback appears instantly.
Linked questionEasy
Aaryan Varshney, who became India's 92nd Chess Grandmaster in January 2026, is from which city?
Explanation · Correct answer CDelhi's Aaryan Varshney, 21, became India's 92nd Chess Grandmaster on January 16, 2026, after earning his final GM norm at the 16th Andranik Margaryan Memorial in Armenia. He is the 8th GM from Delhi.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Aaryan Varshney and what chess milestone did he achieve in January 2026?
**Aaryan Varshney**, a **21-year-old from Delhi**, became **India's 92nd Chess Grandmaster** on **January 16, 2026**, after earning his final GM norm at the **16th Andranik Margaryan Memorial in Armenia**. He won the tournament convincingly with **7/9**, remaining unbeaten and finishing **1.5 points ahead** of Russian GM Aleksey Goganov.
What FIDE rating did Aaryan Varshney achieve when he became India's 92nd Chess Grandmaster in 2026?
**Aaryan Varshney** achieved the Grandmaster milestone with a **FIDE rating of 2513**. He became **India's 92nd GM** and the **8th GM from Delhi**. Remarkably, he accomplished this **without a chess coach**, with his father **Gaurav Varshney** single-handedly supporting his chess journey after Aaryan was separated from his mother at age five.
Where did Aaryan Varshney earn his final GM norm to become India's 92nd Chess Grandmaster?
**Aaryan Varshney** earned his **final GM norm** at the **16th Andranik Margaryan Memorial in Armenia** in January 2026, winning with **7/9** and remaining unbeaten. His **first GM norm** came at the **34th Vasilis Theoridis Kavala Open in August 2025**. He became **India's 92nd Chess Grandmaster** on **January 16, 2026**.
What makes Aaryan Varshney's journey to becoming India's 92nd Chess Grandmaster unusual?
**Aaryan Varshney's** GM journey is unusual as he accomplished it **without a chess coach**. Separated from his mother at **age five**, his father **Gaurav Varshney** single-handedly supported his chess career. He won the **16th Andranik Margaryan Memorial** in Armenia with **7/9** and became the **8th GM from Delhi** at age 21 with a **FIDE rating of 2513**.
What is Aaryan Varshney's rank among Delhi-based Chess Grandmasters after his GM title in January 2026?
**Aaryan Varshney** became the **8th Chess Grandmaster from Delhi** after achieving India's **92nd GM title** on **January 16, 2026**. He earned his title at the **16th Andranik Margaryan Memorial in Armenia** with a winning score of **7/9** and a **FIDE rating of 2513**, accomplished without a chess coach.
