Needing a victory in the final round to complete the Grandmaster title requirements, Aswath delivered under pressure by defeating United States player FM Kannan Vaidyanathan with the black pieces. His crucial win helped him finish the tournament with 7 points from 9 rounds, recording six victories, two draws, and one defeat to secure second place.
Aswath had already achieved his first Grandmaster norm at the Grenke Open last year. He earned his second norm at the First Saturday Grandmaster Round Robin in Budapest in December, where he also crossed the 2500 rating mark, bringing him closer to the coveted title.
The young player faced an early setback at the Pune event after suffering a defeat against Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta. However, Aswath recovered strongly in the later rounds, producing a determined performance that helped him complete the final requirement for the Grandmaster title.
Aswath’s achievement adds another chapter to India’s growing dominance in international chess. Becoming the nation’s 98th Grandmaster, he joins the expanding list of Indian players who have strengthened the country’s position among the world’s leading chess nations.
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