Indian chess Grandmaster Vidit Santosh Gujrathi has been named among the recipients of the Arjuna Award for 2025, with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announcing the National Sports Awards on August 18, 2026. The award recognises his sustained contribution to Indian chess, but the announcement should not be confused with the ceremonial presentation of the award.
Gujrathi’s journey began unexpectedly at around six, when a local cricket club advised him to wait before pursuing the sport; already familiar with chess through games with his father, he chose the board instead. He went on to become India’s 30th Grandmaster in 2013, win the World Youth Under-14 title in 2008, the Tata Steel Challengers in 2018 and the Biel Grandmaster Tournament in 2019, before winning the FIDE Grand Swiss in 2023 and qualifying for the 2024 Candidates Tournament.
He was also part of India’s historic gold-medal-winning Open team at the 2024 Chess Olympiad. The latest recognition marks another milestone in a career that has developed over two decades.
An Accidental Beginning
Born in Nashik, Maharashtra, on October 24, 1994, Vidith did not initially set out to become a chess professional. In an interview in 2024, he recalled that he wanted to play cricket as a six-year-old, but a local club advised him to wait because of his age. Since he was already playing chess with his father, he decided to pursue the game instead.
“It was a complete accident, but a happy one,” Gujrathi said while recalling how that decision shaped his career. His early progress was rapid: he finished runner-up in the Asian Youth Championship Under-12 category in 2006 and won the World Youth Chess Championship Under-14 Open title in 2008, becoming the first Indian to achieve that feat in the category.
From Junior To Grandmaster
Gujrathi’s rise continued through a demanding junior career. He earned his first Grandmaster norm at the 2011 World Junior Championship in Chennai, followed by another at the Nagpur International Open. He completed his final norm at the Rose Valley Kolkata Open in 2012 and was awarded the Grandmaster title in January 2013, aged 18, becoming India’s 30th Grandmaster. He crossed the 2600 rating mark in 2014 and 2700 in 2017.
His breakthrough tournament victories included the 2018 Tata Steel Challengers, where he went unbeaten, and the 2019 Biel Chess Festival. His career also included setbacks and difficult periods, with Gujrathi later speaking publicly about the pressures and mental demands of life as a professional Grandmaster. His family, particularly his parents, played an important role during his formative years, while Gujrathi has also spoken about the personal side of his journey and the support he received from them.
The Grand Swiss Breakthrough
The defining individual breakthrough of Gujrathi’s career came in 2023, when he won the FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament with 8.5 points from 11 games. The victory secured his place in the 2024 Candidates Tournament, the eight-player event that determines the challenger for the world championship. Gujrathi finished sixth in the Candidates and notably defeated Hikaru Nakamura twice.
In 2023, he had also reached the quarter-finals of the FIDE World Cup after defeating former Candidates winner Ian Nepomniachtchi. His international success continued at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest in September 2024, where he was part of India’s Open team alongside Gukesh D, R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi and Pentala Harikrishna. India won the Open gold after remaining unbeaten, securing the country’s first-ever gold in the Open section of the Chess Olympiad.
A New National Honour
The latest development came on August 18, 2026, when the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced the National Sports Awards 2025. Gujrathi was officially listed among the recipients of the Arjuna Award for outstanding performance in Sports and Games 2025, alongside fellow chess player Divya Deshmukh. The Ministry’s official release identifies him as “Vidit Santosh Gujarathi” under chess.
The All India Chess Federation’s president, Nitin Narang, congratulated Gujrathi and Deshmukh, describing the Arjuna recognition as acknowledgement of their “exceptional performances, dedication, and contribution to Indian chess”.
Congratulations to @DivyaDeshmukh05 and @viditchess on being honoured with the prestigious Arjuna Award!
— Nitin Narang (@narangnitin) August 18, 2026
Their exceptional performances, determination and contribution to Indian chess have made the nation proud.
A heartfelt thank you to Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji for his… pic.twitter.com/0gndTiqSlK
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Vidit Gujrathi’s journey shows how a sporting career can take shape through a mixture of chance, encouragement, persistence and years of competition. A decision made at six because cricket had to wait ultimately led to international titles, a Grandmaster ranking, a Candidates appearance and an Olympic gold medal.
His story also highlights why sporting development cannot be measured only by the moment an athlete receives national recognition. The years of learning, setbacks, family support and opportunities to compete internationally often come first. As Gujrathi moves towards the formal presentation of his Arjuna Award, what more can India do to ensure that children who discover their talent by chance get the support to turn that early opportunity into a lasting sporting career?
Read More: From Tejaswin Shankar To Divya Deshmukh: 17 Named For Arjuna Awards, No Khel Ratna This Year
