India gets its 98th GM! Parents chess coaches, 10th exam forced a break: The making of Aswath S

India’s 98th Grandmaster, Aswath S, achieved the coveted title after securing his final GM norm at the Pune International GM Round Robin 2026. The Chennai teenager overcame a four-month break for his Class 10 board exams, drawing inspiration from his family of chess coaches and mentors, and now has his sights set on breaking into the world’s elite.