Assam's Mayank Chakraborty Becomes India's 94th Chess Grandmaster

History was made on the 64 squares on Saturday as Silchar's Mayank Chakraborty secured his final Grandmaster norm at the 8th GM Tournament in Hotel Stockholm North, Sweden, becoming Assam's first-ever chess Grandmaster — and the first from the entire Northeast — at just 16 years of age.

Mayank left little doubt about his readiness for the sport's highest individual title, finishing the tournament in first place with an impressive 7 points out of 9. Remaining unbeaten through his final rounds and defeating top seeds along the way, he also crossed the mandatory FIDE rating barrier of 2500 — fulfilling the last of the requirements needed to be conferred the Grandmaster title. He is now India's 94th Grandmaster.

The achievement has sparked widespread celebration across Silchar and the rest of Assam, with the chess community hailing it as a watershed moment for the sport in a region that has long remained on the periphery of India's chess map. Mayank's feat is expected to serve as a powerful catalyst for the game's growth across the Northeast, demonstrating that world-class achievement is attainable regardless of geography.

India has emerged as a dominant force in global chess in recent years, producing a string of elite Grandmasters — and Mayank Chakraborty's name now joins that illustrious list.