Chendela Harikrishna from Telangana has officially become the 87th Grandmaster of India. He achieved this title after scoring his third and final Grandmaster norm at the Spilimbergo Chess Festival in Italy on July 11, 2025.
Details of the Grandmaster Norms Achieved:
- First Norm: Achieved in July 2023 at the Sitges Chess Tournament in Spain.
- Second Norm: Earned at the Chennai GM Open Tournament earlier this year in January.
- Third (Final) Norm: Secured on July 11, 2025, at the Spilimbergo Chess Festival in Italy.
What are Grandmaster Norms (GM Norms)
In chess, “Grandmaster Norm” refers to a performance standard a player must meet during a tournament to earn the Grandmaster (GM) title. A player must achieve at least three GM norms under specific conditions, including competing against other titled players and performing at a high level consistently. This is a mandatory process overseen by the international chess body, FIDE.
- Harikrishna is the 86th Grandmaster from India and the first Grandmaster from Telangana.
- Harikrishna achieved his third norm on July 11, 2025, at the Spilimbergo Open in Italy.
- He is the second Grandmaster from the state after L.R. Srihari, who had earned the title previously.
