01 January,2017 12:02 PM IST | | Manisha Mohite
Indian chess has rejoiced and rejuvenated itself for two decades with the exploits of five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand. Interestingly, 2017 is tantalisingly poised for Indian chess with 11-year-old R Praggnanandhaa, the frontrunner by miles to try and become the youngest Grandmaster in the world
Child prodigy R Praggnanandhaa. Pic/All India Chess Federation
Indian chess has rejoiced and rejuvenated itself for two decades with the exploits of five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand. Interestingly, 2017 is tantalisingly poised for Indian chess with 11-year-old R Praggnanandhaa, the frontrunner by miles to try and become the youngest Grandmaster in the world. The current record stands in the name of Sergey Karjakin who achieved this feat at 12 years and seven months.
Amongst the established stars, Pentala Harikrishna would be the player to watch out for as he stormed into the top 10 in world rankings in the November 2016 FIDE Rating list, only the second Indian to do so after Anand. Nasik-based 22-year-old Vidit Gujrathi also has been power-punching in the international arena and this third highest-rated Indian is tantalisingly close to the ELO 2700 mark which only Anand, Harikrishna and Sasikiran have breached. Seventeen-year-old Aravindh Chithambaram from Tamil Nadu and 18-year-old Diptayan Ghosh from West Bengal are also two promising teenagers hovering around the 2600 mark.
The 24-year-old B Adhibaan has qualified to make his debut in a Grand Slam event at the Corus Chess Festival next year. Next is 25-year-old Dronavalli Harika, who has been consolidating and improvising her standing in the top 10 women's world ranking and her victory over reigning world women's champion Hou Yifan this year makes her the frontrunner to elevate India's status.
Would Harikrishna enter the exclusive 2800 ELO Club? Will Praggnanandhaa be the youngest GM in the world and which of the other exciting prospects would soar beyond imagination? These are answers awaited in 2017.
