Abhijeet Gupta Wins Pune GM Title as Aswath Becomes India’s 98th Grandmaster

Veteran Indian Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta clinched the Pune International Grandmaster Round Robin Chess Tournament title on Wednesday, finishing with 7.5 points to emerge as the champion in a field featuring some of the country's most promising talents.

While Gupta's triumph highlighted his enduring class and consistency, the tournament also marked a major milestone for Indian chess as International Master Aswath S secured his third and final Grandmaster norm , becoming India's 98th Grandmaster . Aswath finished runner-up with seven points, capping off a memorable campaign that underscored India's growing strength in the global chess landscape.

Grandmaster Kushagra Mohan claimed third place with 6.5 points, while Pune's FIDE Master Advik Agarwal earned his second International Master norm after finishing with five points, taking another significant step in his chess career.

In the ninth and final round, Gupta defeated Sri Lanka's LMST De Silva to seal the championship. Aswath overcame USA's Vaidyanathan Kannan , while Akshay Borgaonkar registered an important victory over Nitish Belurkar .

The clash between Aswath and Vaidyanathan proved to be the most dramatic game of the final round. Vaidyanathan opened with 1.d4, and Aswath responded with the King's Indian Defence . An early inaccuracy left the Indian player under pressure, but he defended resourcefully and stayed in contention. The American later missed a crucial opportunity to capitalize on another mistake, allowing Aswath to seize the initiative and convert the game into a memorable victory that confirmed his Grandmaster title.

Beyond the results, the tournament reflected the continued rise of Indian chess. Since Viswanathan Anand became India's first Grandmaster in 1988, the country has built a formidable chess ecosystem that now produces world-class talent at an unprecedented rate. With India now boasting 98 Grandmasters , the achievements of players such as Aswath, alongside established stars like Gupta, highlight the nation's growing depth and its status as one of the world's leading chess powers.

Gupta received the winner's trophy and ₹1 lakh in prize money, while Aswath was awarded ₹75,000 . Advik Agarwal received a special cash award of ₹25,000 for achieving his second IM norm.