Nineteen-year-old IM P. Ajay Santhosh has kept his Grandmaster dream firmly on track with a stellar third-place finish at the 360 One Masters Chess Tournament, held at the World Trade Centre in Mumbai.
Competing in a 56-player field with an average rating of 2356, the Hyderabad-born IM scored 6 points from 9 rounds — finishing behind winner GM Iniyan P (7.5/9) and Russian GM Boris Savchenko (6.5/9). Seeded fourth with a FIDE rating of 2503, Ajay outsmarted several seasoned Grandmasters to claim his spot on the podium.
The Road to Grandmaster
The 19-year-old is now tantalizingly close to the GM title, having already:
- Crossed the 2500 FIDE rating barrier
- Secured his first GM norm at the Baku Open 2026 earlier this year
Two more norms stand between him and India’s most coveted chess distinction.
A Packed International Schedule
A grueling international circuit awaits as Ajay pursues his remaining norms:
- Chola Chess GM Round Robin in Chennai (June 20–28)
- Chess Festival Ceske Budejovice 2026 in the Czech Republic
- Paris Masters in France
- Dole Open in Aix-en-Provence, France
A Campaign Without Institutional Support
Backed by his family and travel sponsor Viyona Fintech, Hyderabad, Ajay is pursuing his title campaign largely without institutional support. The cost of competing across four tournaments on two continents is substantial, and his camp continues to seek corporate backing to sustain one of Indian chess’s most promising GM pursuits.
A Bright Future
Ajay’s performance at the 360 One Masters demonstrates his growing maturity and ability to compete against seasoned Grandmasters. As he embarks on this critical European and domestic circuit, the chess world will be watching closely to see if he can secure the final two norms and join the elite ranks of Indian Grandmasters.
