Aravindh Chithambaram Completes Final GM Norm
By Arvind Aaron
V.R. Aravindh Chithambaram of Chennai completed his third and final Grand Master norm when he beat Alexei Shirov in the Riga International Open in Latvia on August 24, 2014.
The 15-year old played at a stunning 2718 rating defeating three Grand Masters, drawing two and losing one in his six games against Grand Masters.
Rated 2467, Aravindh is gaining 29 Elo from this one competition itself. Aravindh has made his first GM norm by winning the Chennai Open in November 2013 during the Anand v Carlsen match.
His second norm came in Malaysia. Now, this eighth placing gives him his third norm on 7/9. His rating is soon to zoom to the 2500 rating mark.
Recently, Aravindh moved from Madurai to Chennai to improve his chess and within a year of it, he has achieved Grand Master results. Only in 2014 he applied and became an International Master. Within months he would need to apply for the next higher title

Commonwealth Chess Championship – 2026 – 27 in Kaluthara, Sri Lanka from 16th to 26th May, 2026.
GM Suleymenov Alisher Clinches Title at the 1st Chola Chess International Grandmaster Round Robin Tournament 2026.
TENTATIVE NATIONAL CALENDAR FOR 2026-27
Round 3 : 1st Chola Chess International Grandmaster Norm Round Robin Tournament 2026, Chennai.
Day 2:1st Chola Chess International Grandmaster Norm Closed Circuit Chess Tournament, Chennai
Fide Arbiter Seminar in Pune 28 Feb -02 March 2026 & Thoothukudi 07-09 March 2026