17- Year Old Chess Talent Mayank Chakraborty Scripts History, Becomes India’s 94th Grandmaster And First From North-East Region

Picture Credit : Department of Sports & Youth Welfare, Assam /@Assam_DSYW/X

Talented youngster Mayank Chakraborty crossed the final hurdle in his promising career by securing his third and final GM norm, becoming the 94th Grandmaster and the first from India’s North-East region to achieve the coveted title.

Hailing from Guwahati in Assam, the 17-year-old Chakraborty — who became an International Master in 2024 — achieved the feat with a round to spare in the eighth round of the Hotel Stockholm North by First Hotels Chess Talents Tournament, defeating Swedish IM Philip Lindgren.

Chakraborty was at the top of his game in the victory over Lindgren, accumulating the required 6.5 points that were enough to secure his final Grandmaster norm. In the final round, he played out an exciting draw with English International Master Jonah B Willow to seal what was his most memorable performance to date.

Chakraborty also crossed the critical 2500 Elo rating mark in the process, with his current rating standing a few points above the threshold, thereby confirming the Grandmaster title as per the rules of the international chess federation, FIDE.