Guwahati, March 16: Sixteen-year-old Mayank Chakraborty, a student of South Point School in Guwahati, has scripted history by becoming India’s 94th Grandmaster and the first ever from Assam and the Northeast region.
Mayank achieved his final Grandmaster (GM) norm at the 8th Stockholm First Hotels GM Round Robin Tournament in Stockholm, Sweden, which concluded on March 14.
With this achievement, the teenage International Master also crossed the crucial 2500 Elo rating mark required by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), officially confirming his Grandmaster title.
Mayank delivered a dominant performance at the tournament, winning six games, drawing two and losing just one, finishing with 7 points out of 9 to clinch the title. He finished half a point ahead of Norway’s Aksel Bu Kvaloy, who received a last-round walkover.
His achievement marks a historic milestone for the Northeast, a region that had long awaited its first Grandmaster since Viswanathan Anand became India’s first GM in 1988.
Mayank’s rise in chess has been rapid. He became an International Master in 2024 and has consistently ranked among the top players in his age group. Earlier, he was India and Asia’s No.1 in the Under-11 category and had a breakout season in 2021 while competing in Europe, where his rating surged from the 1800s to nearly 2200. During that period, he was also ranked world No.6 among players born in or after 2009.
His achievements at the junior level include a silver medal at the Under-9 National Championship, gold at the Under-11 National Championship, and a silver medal at the Under-10 Asian Youth Chess Championship in Sri Lanka.
Mayank began learning chess at the Assam Chess Club, a unit of Akshayam, before steadily rising through national and international competitions.
Behind his success has been strong family support. His mother, a doctor, and his father—who reportedly left his job to travel with him to tournaments—played key roles in nurturing his career.
Dedicating the achievement to chess enthusiasts across the Northeast, Mayank expressed hope that his success would inspire more players from the region to pursue the sport at the highest level.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma congratulated the young Grandmaster, calling it a proud moment for the state and wishing him continued success in the future.
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