Aaryan Varshney becomes India's 92nd Grandmaster
(Courtesy : aaryan_varshney/Instagram)
Aaryan Varshney started playing at age of 8, training under his father and coach, Gaurav Varshney.
The 21-year-old Aaryan Varshney became India’s 92nd Grandmaster on Thursday, January 15. He achieved the feat after winning the Andranik Margaryan Memorial title in Armenia.
Varshney played a draw against FM Tyhran Ambartsumian in the eighth round of the tournament to win his third and the final GM norm with 6.5/8 points—two points ahead of the field.
Aaryan Varshney began playing chess at the age of 8 with his coach and father, Gaurav Varshney. He earned the title of FIDE Master in 2018 and the International Masters title in 2024 with a live rating of 2,395.
Let’s take a look at how Varshney attained success with consistent performances in the last few years.
Aaryan Varshney’s recent performances
Aaryan Varshney has been making rapid strides in his chess career since 2024, when he won the 2nd Noida Rapid Rating Open 2024 and the 1st Dewas Rapid Rating Open 2024.
2025 was a special year for Varshney, as he attained his maiden GM norm. He achieved the feat during the 34th Vasilis Theodoridis Open in Kavala, which took place in August.
A victory against five-time Commonwealth champion GM Abhijeet Gupta helped him share second place and take a step towards earning the coveted title.
Then, the youngster continued his strong performances at the 16th Late Bharatbai Halkude Memorial Blitz Rating Open, DPS Sitapur Future GM Series Vol 1 Rating Open, the Rungta Cements Rating Open and the 1st Jabalpur Rapid Rating Open.
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Notably, Varshney achieved an Elo of 2500 in live rating during the Maharathi International Open, despite a 90th-place finish among 500 players.
In December 2025, Aaryan Varshney scored a perfect 9/9 to win the 3rd Leonine GM title in Dhaka, finishing half a point ahead of the other players. As a result, he secured his second GM norm and was one step away from becoming India’s next Grandmaster.
Then, Varshney participated at the 16th Andranik Margaryan Memorial, which took place in Armenia from January 9 to 16. The tournament saw him achieve his final GM norm and become the latest entrant to the list of grandmasters from India.
Who is Aaryan Varshney?
Aaryan Varshney is a 21-year-old chess player from India who became the country’s 92nd Grandmaster on January 15, 2026.
How did Varshney achieve the Grandmaster title?
He earned the title after winning the Andranik Margaryan Memorial in Armenia and securing his third and final GM norm with a score of 6.5/8 points, two points ahead of the field.
When did Varshney start playing chess?
He started playing at the age of 8, training under his father and coach, Gaurav Varshney.
What big achievements did Varshney achieve before becoming a Grandmaster?
Became a FIDE Master (FM) in 2018Became an International Master (IM) in 2024 with a live rating of 2,395Reached a live Elo rating of 2500 in 2025 during the Maharathi International Open
How fast has Varshney progressed to becoming a Grandmaster?
He went from IM in 2024 to GM in early 2026, earning all three GM norms in roughly 18 months through consistent tournament performances.
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Farzan is a journalist at Khel Now covering Indian Olympic sports and kabaddi. With five years of experience working with major sports organizations like Chennaiyin FC, Dabang Delhi K.C., Rajasthan Royals, and Yuva Kabaddi Series, he brings diverse expertise. Farzan has covered two Olympics, one Commonwealth Games, and one Asian Games, making his knowledge of Indian sports broad and versatile.