Indian chess has achieved a landmark moment as young prodigy Mayank Chakraborty secured the prestigious Grandmaster title, becoming the first player from India’s North-East region to reach the pinnacle of the sport. The achievement not only highlights Chakraborty’s individual brilliance but also underscores the expanding geographical diversity of India’s chess talent pipeline. Long dominated by metropolitan centers, the nation’s chess ecosystem is now witnessing rising participation from previously underrepresented regions.