VS Rathanvel becomes India’s 99th Grandmaster, takes country one short of 100

Tamil Nadu's VS Rathanvel has become India's 99th Grandmaster after crossing the 2,500 Elo rating mark at the Guwahati Smart City International Open 2026. The 25-year-old had completed his three GM norms in 2022 but repeatedly fell short of the required rating. India is now just one Grandmaster away from reaching the historic three-figure milestone for the first time ever.