Mayank Chakraborty Scripts History, Becomes First GM From North-East & India's 94th

Last Updated:March 14, 2026, 17:41 IST

Mayank Chakraborty from Guwahati, Assam, is India's 94th Grandmaster and the first from the North-East. At 17, he secured his final GM norm in Stockholm.

Mayank Chakraborty, a remarkable young talent from Guwahati, Assam, has achieved a significant milestone in his chess career by securing his third and final GM norm. This accomplishment makes him the 94th Grandmaster from India and the first from the North-East region to earn this prestigious title.

At just 17 years old, Chakraborty became an International Master in 2024. He clinched his final GM norm with one round to spare in the eighth round of the Hotel Stockholm North by First Hotels Chess Talents Tournament, where he defeated Swedish International Master Philip Lindgren.

Chakraborty performed exceptionally well against Lindgren, achieving the required 6.5 points to secure his Grandmaster norm. In the final round, he drew an exciting game with English International Master Jonah B Willow, marking his most memorable performance to date.

Additionally, Chakraborty surpassed the crucial 2500 Elo rating mark during the tournament, with his current rating slightly above this threshold, thus confirming his Grandmaster title according to FIDE regulations.

Throughout the tournament, Chakraborty lost one game, drew two, and won six, finishing with a total of seven points out of a possible nine. This impressive performance earned him the tournament title, edging out Norway’s Aksel Bu Kvaloy, who received a last-round walkover, by half a point.

Since becoming an International Master in 2024, Chakraborty has consistently been a standout performer in his age group. He was previously the top-ranked player in India and Asia in the Under-11 category and had a breakthrough season in 2021 while competing in Europe, significantly boosting his Elo rating from the 1800s to nearly 2200, and ranking as world No.6 for boys born on or after 2009.

Chakraborty’s early success includes being the Under-9 national silver medallist, Under-11 national gold medallist, and winning the Under-10 silver medal at the Asian Youth Chess Championship in Sri Lanka.

His rise to prominence has been supported by his family, with his mother, a doctor, providing unwavering support, and his father leaving his job to accompany him to tournaments.

(With PTI Inputs)

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