FIDE ratifies GM titles of Sasikiran, Kunte

NEW DELHI, MAY 16. The world chess body, FIDE, has ratified the Grandmaster titles of India's two young stars, K. Sasikiran and Abhijit Kunte.

The titles of reigning national champion Sasikiran and former champion Kunte, who completed their final GM norms within a fortnight of each other in February this year, were ratified by FIDE presidential board which met in London over the weekend, according to an All India Chess Federation release here.

This takes the Indian GM count to five. World No. 2 Viswanathan Anand was the first Indian to claim the coveted title when he won the World junior title in 1989. Dibyendu Barua and Pravin Thipsay followed suit in early 90s.

It also conferred International Master title on former Commonwealth champion Atanu Lahiri and International Women's Master title on Koneru Humpy, former world under-10 girls' champion.

The 19-year-old Sasikiran, also the Asian junior and Commonwealth champion, claimed his fourth and final norm at the Sangli international tournament.

Sasi, as he is known among chess players, is also the youngest Indian Grandmaster after Anand, falling short by one year and is ranked 13th among the juniors in the world.

Kunte, 23, completed his final norm, during the Goodricke International chess championships in February. Kunte completed his three norms at an astonishing speed, within 30 months.

- PTI

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