Harikrishna is India's youngest Grandmaster

Fifteen-year-old Pendyala Harikrishna has become India's youngest Grandmaster overtaking World Champion Vishwanathan Anand who became India's first GM at the age of eighteen in 1987.

Harikrishna achieved the distinction when he completed his 29th norm in the Asian Chess Championship in Calcutta earlier this month but was unaware of his feat.

Harikrishna was under the impression that he would have to make another norm as his total number of norm games were only 29 as according to Swiss tournament norms the requirement is 30 games.

According to information received here, 30 games were required in case of a Swiss league tournament and the figure was 24 games in case one has made a norm in a round robin or all-play-all event.

Harikrishna will officially apply for the GM title on his return from London where he is currently participating in the Commmonwealth Chess Championship.

Though he has made his norms only in the Swiss league tournament his unique qualification of making a norm at the Chess Olympiad in Istanbul last year makes him eligible for the coveted title.

The norms made in Olympiad were considered to be round-robin tournament norms given the extensive competition and higher stakes during the event.