India’s 3-Year-Old FIDE Chess Sensation: Sarvagya Kushwaha
FIDE Chess ranked Sarwagya Singh Kushwaha (Image Kulkarni on X)
Born in 2022, Sarvagya Singh Kushwaha scripts history with a stunning debut rating of 1572 as India adds yet another name to its growing list of child chess prodigies.
By S JHA
New Delhi, December 4, 2025 — India has produced yet another astonishing chess prodigy with three-year-old Sarvagya Singh Kushwaha becoming the world’s youngest FIDE Rapid Rated player, rewriting the record books at an age when most children are just beginning preschool.
Chess coach Rakesh Kulkarni announced the milestone on X, congratulating Sarvagya for earning an official rapid rating at the age of 3 years, 7 months and 20 days. According to ChessBase India, the toddler prodigy secured a Rapid Rating of 1572 in the December 2025 FIDE rating list.
Born in 2022 and hailing from Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, Sarvagya stunned the chess community with a series of giant-killing performances across multiple tournaments in 2025. His rating journey began at the 24th RCC Rapid Rated Cup in September, where he defeated a 1542-rated opponent in what was his first major breakthrough. He followed it up by triumphing over a 1559-rated player at the 2nd Shri Dadaji Dhuniwale Rapid Rating Open in Khandwa in October.
In November, Sarvagya played two more rapid-rating events in Chhindwara and Indore, defeating the same 1542-rated player in one tournament and a 1696-rated opponent in another — performances that finally earned him his historic first FIDE rating.
India’s Second 3-Year-Old World Record in Two Years
Sarvagya’s feat comes just a year after another Indian child, Anish Sarkar, stunned the global chess world by becoming the youngest FIDE-rated classical player at the age of four. With Sarvagya now breaking the rapid-rating record at an even younger age, India has reinforced its reputation as the world’s new nursery of elite chess talent.
“This shows that chess is getting younger by the day,” ChessBase India noted, congratulating Sarvagya, his family and coach for nurturing extraordinary ability at such an early stage.
Other Young Indian Chess Prodigies
India’s chess boom has been fuelled by a remarkable generation of child prodigies over the past decade:
- D Gukesh became one of the youngest Grandmasters in history at 12 and is now a global elite contender.
- R Praggnanandhaa gained worldwide fame after defeating multiple world champions as a teenager and finishing runner-up in the 2023 World Cup.
- Arjun Erigaisi has rapidly climbed the world rankings with consistent top-level performances.
- Nihal Sarin became a Grandmaster at just 14 and remains one of India’s fastest players ever.
At the junior level, children as young as four and five are now routinely competing in national and international rated events — a trend driven by structured coaching, online platforms, and a strong domestic tournament circuit.
A New Benchmark for World Chess
Sarvagya Singh Kushwaha’s entry into the official FIDE ratings at barely three years old sets a new global benchmark in the rapid format. His rating of 1572 is not just symbolic — it reflects competitive strength against adult-rated players.
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