From a local academy to the elite ranks of global chess
In short: Vidit Gujrathi didn't just join the ranks of Indian chess masters; he broke through barriers for his nation. Having secured the Open U14 World Youth Chess Championship as India's initial victor, his path from Nashik toward the Candidates Tournament shifted the nation's competitive limits.
Born in Nashik in 1994 to an Ayurveda practitioner and a cosmetologist, Gujrathi began his journey with early coaching and schooling at Fravashi Academy. His ascent was rapid: by 2006, he earned the FIDE Master title at the Asian Youth Championships. This victory was bolstered by a score of 9 out of 11 points, providing his final norm to reach International Master status.
Gujrathi's path to Grandmaster status was marked by consistent high-level performance across multiple continents. He earned his first GM norm in 2011 at the World Junior Chess Championship in Chennai and his second at the Nagpur International Open. He secured his final norm at age 18 in 2012 during the Rose Valley Kolkata Open Grandmasters' tournament. By January 2013, he officially attained the Grandmaster title, becoming the 30th player from India to reach this elite designation.
His recent career highlights underscore his status as a premier global competitor. By clinching the 2023 FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament with 8½/11 points, he secured his status as the third Indian to enter the Candidates. In the 2024 Candidates Tournament, he notably defeated Hikaru Nakamura in both of their games. Beyond individual accolades, Gujrathi has served as captain for India's gold-medal winning team in the 2020 Online Chess Olympiad and was part of the gold-medal winning team at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest in 2024.
Gujrathi's career is characterized by versatility, spanning traditional, rapid, and blitz formats. He has secured multiple medals in the Asian Games, the World Rapid Team Championship, and the European Chess Club Cup. His influence on the sport is further cemented by his role in high-stakes events like the Tata Steel Chess Tournament, where he notably defeated former world champion Vladimir Kramnik in 2019.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Vidit Gujrathi
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