Indians continue ascent: Aravindh climbs to world number 11 in April FIDE rankings

by Carlos Alberto Colodro
4/1/2025 – India’s presence in elite chess continues to strengthen, with Aravindh Chithambaram reaching world number 11 in the latest FIDE rankings. The 25-year-old grandmaster from Madurai recently won the Prague Masters and delivered a flawless performance in the German Bundesliga, gaining 17.5 rating points. His rise places him among India's top players, alongside Gukesh Dommaraju, Arjun Erigaisi and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu. With strong tournament results, Aravindh is now a serious contender for a place in the next Candidates Tournament. | Photo: Amruta Mokal
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Up to four Indian players in the Candidates?

Aravindh Chithambaram's ascent to world number 11 in the FIDE chess rankings marks yet another milestone for Indian chess. With five Indian players now in the world's top 20, the country's presence in elite-level chess continues to grow. Notably, the legendary Viswanathan Anand has been relegated to fifth place among his compatriots, underscoring the emergence of a new generation of Indian talent.

Among these rising stars are three players under the age of 21 who have firmly established themselves in the world's top 10: world champion Gukesh Dommaraju, Arjun Erigaisi and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu.

Now joining them is 25-year-old Aravindh. Hailing from Madurai, Aravindh recently claimed victory at the prestigious Prague Masters, scoring 6/9. He then followed this success with a flawless 2/2 performance in the German Bundesliga. His strong form this month resulted in an 8/11 performance, earning him 17.5 rating points and securing his position as world number 11 in FIDE's latest rankings, published on 1 April.

Aravindh's steady rise has seen him surpass established players such as Levon Aronian, Anish Giri and Jan-Krzysztof Duda. His current trajectory places him as a strong contender for qualification to the next Candidates Tournament. He currently ranks third in the 2025 FIDE Circuit standings, trailing only former world champion Ding Liren and fellow Indian grandmaster Praggnanandhaa.

With key tournaments such as the FIDE World Cup and the Grand Swiss on the horizon - both of which offer qualifying spots for the Candidates - Aravindh stands a good chance of securing a place in the prestigious event. If his performances continue at this level, 2026 could see up to four Indian players in the Candidates Tournament, with Vidit Gujrathi (who played in the 2024 edition) also in contention for a spot.

It is a known fact that Aravindh has been coached by the extremely successful RB Ramesh, while he also confessed to have received direct help from Sundararajan Kidambi during the Prague Masters last month.

Vrolijk 0 - 1 Aravindh

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Topics: Aravindh Chithambaram
Carlos Colodro is a Hispanic Philologist from Bolivia. He works as a freelance translator and writer since 2012. A lot of his work is done in chess-related texts, as the game is one of his biggest interests, along with literature and music.
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