As the world celebrates International Chess Day on July 20th, there is no better time to reflect on the game's rich history.

The ancient game of chess has a rich history that spans over 1,500 years, with its roots deeply embedded in Indian culture.

 Significance of Chess in India:

In the 6th century, during the Gupta dynasty, chess made its first appearance in India. Its early form, chaturanga, is considered the precursor to modern chess due to its distinctive piece abilities and the unique winning condition of the capture of the king. According to ancient lore, the game was invented by Grand Vizier Sissa Ben Dahir and presented as a gift to the Indian King Shirham, also known as Shahram. Chaturanga gradually evolved into the modern game we know today around 1500 CE. The game spread from India to Persia, where it underwent further transformations before reaching Europe via Spain and Italy.

Fast forward to the present day, and Tamil Nadu stands as the epicentre of Indian chess, with the city of Chennai hailed as the 'Mecca of Chess'. India has produced several brilliant chess players, with some notable ones making extraordinary contributions to the game.

 Modern-day Chess Wizards of India:

Modern chess owes much to Wilhelm Steinitz, the first World Champion and the "father of modern chess," who extensively analysed various double king-pawn openings in his book "The Modern Chess Instructor," published in 1889 and 1895.

India's contribution to the game is undeniable, and there is no shortage of chess prodigies who have made the nation proud. Among these;

Viswanathan Anand:

Viswanathan Anand, affectionately known as Vishy Anand or the "Tiger of Madras," is a name synonymous with chess in India. Having won the World Junior Chess Championship at the age of 14, Anand went on to become India's first chess grandmaster in 1988 and is currently ranked ninth in the world.

He has achieved every chess player's dream, including winning the FIDE world championship five times, becoming the World Rapid Chess Champion, and being the only Indian player to surpass the 2800 marks on the FIDE rating list. He was the first recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 1991–92 and the first sportsperson to receive India’s second-highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan.

Pentala Harikrishna:

Hailing from Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, Pentala Harikrishna carved his name into chess history by becoming the youngest Grandmaster from India in 2001 after winning the Commonwealth Championship. Harikrishna's impressive list of accolades includes the World Junior Championship in 2004 and the Asian Individual Championship in 2011. He has represented India seven times between 2000 and 2012 at the Chess Olympiads.

In 2016, Harikrishna achieved a rating of 2763.3 on the live Elo rating scale, surpassing Anand to become the first Indian player to do so in three decades. With a FIDE rating of 276, he made it into the world’s top ten players in 2016. Harikrishna's current world ranking is thirty-two (32).

Gukesh Dommaraju:

Born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, he is another young chess prodigy, also known as Gukesh D. He became the youngest-ever Indian player and the third-youngest person in history to qualify for the title of Grandmaster, which FIDE awarded him in March 2019, and is equally adept at multiple formats of the game, including rapids and blitz. Gukesh came close to breaking Sergey Karjakin's record for being the youngest grandmaster ever, but fell short by 17 days. As of July 2023, he is the third-youngest chess grandmaster and youngest-ever Indian grandmaster (since October 16, 2022), and ranks no. 13 in the world.

Some of his successful exploits include his five gold medal haul at the 2018 Asian Youth Chess Championships and the Asian School Chess Championships, which he won in 2015. The Chennai lad was also close to surpassing Sergey Karjakin's record of becoming the second-youngest GM. Still, he missed it by just 17 days. He is also the youngest player in the world to beat World Champion Magnus Carlsen.

Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu:

Another one from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Praggnanandhaa is one of India's latest sensations in the chess world. A chess prodigy, he earned the international master title at the age of 10, the youngest at the time to do so, and the Grandmaster title at age 12, the second-youngest at the time to do so.

He beat five-time World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen in the FTX Crypto Cup 2022 at the age of 16, becoming the youngest player till then to do so. He currently ranks 47th in the world.

From its birthplace in India nearly 1500 years ago to its current status as a professional sport played across the globe, chess has come a long way. Today, chess is a globally recognised sport played in 172 countries, and India's contribution to its inception is a proud part of the country's cultural heritage.

It's no wonder that the city of Chennai is known as the "Mecca of Chess," given the exceptional talent it has produced over the years. India's chess prodigies continue to inspire the nation and the world with their achievements, and they are undoubtedly the future of the sport.

Note: India has produced several grand wizards of chess, and these are only a few sorted ones that need a mention.