Parimarjan becomes world's second youngest GM

MUMBAI: Delhi kid Parimarjan Negi has become a Grandmaster. At 13 years and 5 months, he is the youngest GM in India and Asia. He is also the second youngest GM in the world after Sergei Karjakini of Ukraine who achieved the distinction at the age of 12.

Till Negi came along, P Harikrishna was India’s youngest GM at 15. Viswa-nathan Anand became a GM after he turned 18.

Negi won his third and final GM norm at a tournament in Chelyabinsk in Russia on Saturday. His earlier GM norms had come at the Hastings tournament in December 2005 and Parsvnath International GM tournament in January this year. He became an International Master in July 2005.

The All-India Chess Federation has hailed Negi’s feat. “He is the new wonder kid of world chess. He is India’s next Vishy Anand,” said Bharat Singh Chauhan, the treasurer of the AICF. AICF president N Srinivasan said he was happy and congratulated Negi.

Raghunandan Gokhle, who had trained Negi during his formative days, said his achievement was expected. “It had to happen. He is India’s new hope,” he said.

According to the latest FIDE list, Negi’s present Elo rating is 2494 but it will cross the mandatory 2500 mark with his present performance.