For the first time, four Indian grandmasters enter top 10 chess rankings

In a groundbreaking moment for Indian chess, four grandmasters have made their way into the Top 10 of the global FIDE live chess rankings — something that’s never happened before. D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa, and Aravindh Chithambaram are now part of the elite circle, signalling a significant shift in the sport’s global landscape.

Aravindh joins elite after victory at Stepan Avagyan Memorial

Aravindh Chithambaram’s rise to the ninth position, boasting a live rating of 2757.8, was clinched with his victory at the 6th Stepan Avagyan Memorial tournament in Jermuk, Armenia. He and his close friend R Praggnanandhaa ended up tied at 6.5 points after nine rounds, but Aravindh took home the title due to a higher Sonneborn-Berger score, which considers wins against tougher opponents.

The thrilling final day saw Praggnanandhaa triumph over Armenia’s Robert Hovhannisyan, putting the pressure on Aravindh to secure a win for the trophy — which he did, defeating Aram Hakobyan with the black pieces. Both players finished the tournament unbeaten, each with four wins and five draws.

Currently, Arjun Erigaisi holds the No. 4 spot (2778.6), followed closely by Gukesh (2776.6) at No. 5, and Praggnanandhaa (2774.2) at No. 6. With 83.59 points from five events, Praggnanandhaa is also leading the FIDE Circuit and is a strong contender for the 2026 Candidates Tournament.

What’s striking is how different each player’s rise has been. Arjun is known for his calm precision and rapid improvements; Gukesh plays with fearless aggression and deep preparation; Praggnanandhaa combines creativity with resilience under pressure; and Aravindh, often underrated, has emerged as the tournament specialist — peaking at the right moments.

The Indian quartet will be back in action at the Uzchess Cup, kicking off on June 18 in Uzbekistan.