Learn about the top chess players in India, both male and female, ranked by the International Chess Federation (FIDE)
To find out who the top chess players in India are, we have to look at their chess ratings. A chess rating system estimates a player's strength based on their performance against other players. These systems are used by organisations such as FIDE, US Chess, and online platforms like Chess.com and Lichess. A higher rating indicates a stronger player. The Elo rating system is the most widely used and has been adopted beyond chess, including online gaming and even dating apps. In this blog, we will look at the top 10 chess players in India, female and male, ranked by FIDE.
Here are India's top female chess players, ranked according to FIDE. The title ‘g’ means Grandmaster, and ‘m’ means master. The grandmaster title is the highest honour in chess.
Rank |
Name | Title | Fed | Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Koneru, Humpy | g | IND | 2523 |
2 | Divya Deshmukh | m | IND | 2490 |
3 | Dronavalli, Harika | g | IND | 2489 |
4 | Vaishali, Rameshbabu | g | IND | 2476 |
5 | Tania, Sachdev | m | IND | 2396 |
6 | Vantika Agrawal | m | IND | 2392 |
7 | Kulkarni Bhakti | m | IND | 2359 |
8 | Velpula Sarayu | IND | 2347 | |
9 | Padmini, Rout | m | IND | 2339 |
9 | Nandhidhaa, P V | wg | IND | 2339 |
Let’s learn a little bit about the top Indian chess queens:
Koneru Humpy; Credit: Photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Born in Gudivada, India, in 1987, Koneru Humpy is a chess grandmaster. Her talent for chess was recognised by her father when she was only six years old. By the age of eight, she was already winning local championships.