Published: 7 November 2025ChessBase IndiaGeneral
Raahul VS Becomes India's 91st Chess Grandmaster at ASEAN Championship
21-year-old Raahul VS from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, became India's 91st Chess Grandmaster on November 8, 2025, after winning the 6th ASEAN Individual Championship in the Philippines with a round to spare. He scored 7/8, finishing 1.5 points ahead of the field and earning the direct Grandmaster title as the championship winner.
Raahul became Tamil Nadu's 36th GM and India's second GM within a week, after Ilamparthi AR earned the title on October 30, 2025. An Asian Junior Champion and International Master since 2021, Raahul is a student at SRM Institute of Science and Technology. India has added six Grandmasters in the past six months.
0Mains angle
Q: Discuss India's rapid rise in chess, with reference to Raahul VS becoming the country's 91st Grandmaster at the ASEAN Championship.
Answer (50 words):
On November 8, 2025, 21-year-old Raahul VS from Chennai became India's 91st Chess Grandmaster after winning the 6th ASEAN Individual Championship in the Philippines, winning with a round to spare and earning the direct Grandmaster title. He is Tamil Nadu's 36th GM; India added six Grandmasters in six months.
6-axis classification
CoverageInternationalSubjectSportsExamBasic 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 questionMedium
Raahul VS became India's which numbered Chess Grandmaster in November 2025?
Explanation · Correct answer C21-year-old Raahul VS from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, became India's 91st Chess Grandmaster on November 8, 2025, after winning the 6th ASEAN Individual Championship in the Philippines. He scored 7/8 and crossed the 2,500 FIDE rating required.
Frequently asked questions
How did Raahul VS become India's 91st Chess Grandmaster?
Raahul VS became India's 91st Chess Grandmaster on November 8, 2025, after winning the 6th ASEAN Individual Championship in the Philippines with a round to spare.
What score and rating milestone did he achieve at the championship?
He scored 7/8, finished 1.5 points ahead of the field, and earned the direct Grandmaster title as the championship winner.
What did the title mean for Tamil Nadu and India's recent GM count?
Raahul became Tamil Nadu's 36th GM and India's second GM within a week, after Ilamparthi AR earned the title on October 30, 2025. India has added six Grandmasters in the past six months.
What background details about Raahul were noted?
The article described him as a 21-year-old from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, an Asian Junior Champion, an International Master since 2021, and a student at SRM Institute of Science and Technology.
