It is a bit paradoxical that the average age of this team is the highest in the event when India is producing more young chess prodigies than any other country in the world. But the young Indian cubs are not ready yet to make it into the national team: the generational changeover will have to wait a bit more. 

Adviser to the team: Vladimir Kramnik

The World Champion from 2000 to 2007 and the winner of numerous tournaments (including 10 titles in Dortmund), in 1996 Vladimir Kramnik became the youngest world #1 player in history, the record broken by Magnus Carlsen 14 years later. Playing for the Russian team in Chess Olympiads since 1992, he won three gold medals. In January 2019 Vladimir Kramnik announced his retirement from professional chess but expressed intention to focus on chess-related projects.

Viswanathan Anand  (Std. 2753  Rpd. 2751)

The first grandmaster from India (1988), a five-time World Champion, Viswanathan Anand became one of a few players to surpass a 2800 rating mark (in 2006). Throughout his long and prolific chess career, he acquired a legendary status not only in his native India but also all around the world. Considered by many to be the greatest rapid player of his generation he won the World Rapid Chess Championship in 2003 and 2017, the World Blitz Cup in 2000, and numerous other top-level rapid and blitz events.

Vidit Gujrathi  (Std. 2726 Rpd. 2636)

The fourth Indian ever to surpass a 2700 mark, Vidit Gujrathi is the second-highest rated player in his home country after Anand. The winner of the Biel Chess Festival Grand Master (2019) and the runner-up in the Prague Chess Festival Masters (2020), he is currently ranked 23rd in the world.

Pentala Harikrishna (Std. 2719 Rpd. 2690)

The youngest Indian grandmaster back in 2001, the former World Junior Champion (2004) and Asian Individual Champion (2011), Pentala Harikrishna made it into the top 10 in November of 2016. The Commonwealth Champion (2011), he represented India in numerous Olympiads, World Team Championships, and Asian Championships. Harikrishna is currently ranked 26th in the world.

Humpy Koneru (Std. 2586 Rpd. 2483)

The reigning World Women’s Rapid Chess Champion (2019), Humpy Koneru became the youngest woman ever to earn the title of grandmaster (this record was later broken by Hou Yifan). A semi-finalist of the Women’s World Championship in 2004, 2008 and 2010, she became a challenger in 2011 but lost the title match to Hou Yifan. The runner up in the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix  2011–12, 2013–14 and 2015–16 Humpy holds second position in the 2019-2020 edition of the series after playing just two tournaments. Koneru is currently ranked second in the world.

Adhiban Baskaran (Std. 2659 Rpd. 2624)

The former  World Under-16 Champion (2008) and Indian champion (2009), Adhiban Baskaran was a member of the Indian bronze medal team at the 41st Olympiad in Tromso (2014) and Solvay, the winner of the Spanishi League (2015). His chess resume includes victories Sants Open Barcelona (2013), Masters Open in Biel (2014), and Reykjavic Open (2018). Adhiban is currently ranked 82nd in the world.

Harika Dronavalli (Std. 2515 Rpd. 2450)

Three-time bronze medalist in the Women’s World Chess Championship (2012, 2015, and 2017), Harika Dronavalli is the second-highest rated Indian woman after Humpy Koneru. She reached her career-high #5 in the world back in 2016 after winning the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix event at Chengdu. Currently ranked ninth in the world,  Harika is tied for 5th position in the Grand Prix 2019-2020 after three tournaments.