1. V. Ravi Kumar won the National Chess Championship in 1978. He was one of the early pioneers of competitive chess in India. His win marked the beginning of a long career in the chess world, and his performance in national tournaments contributed to the growing popularity of chess in India.
2. Viswanathan Anand, India’s first World Chess Champion, won the National Chess Championship in 1984 and 1985. These victories were some of the earliest milestones in his illustrious career. Anand’s dominance in national chess laid the foundation for his rise to become a global chess icon. He went on to win several world championships and is widely regarded as one of the greatest chess players of all time.
3. Abhijit Kunte won the National Chess Championship in 1997. He is a Grandmaster (GM) and was one of India’s leading players during the 1990s and early 2000s. Kunte’s victory in the national championship was a significant achievement in his career, and he has represented India in several Chess Olympiads.
4. Tejas Bakre claimed the National Chess Championship in 1998. He is a Grandmaster who represented India in various international tournaments. Bakre’s national championship win was a notable achievement in the late 1990s when India was emerging as a chess powerhouse.
5. K. Sasikiran won the National Chess Championship in 1999. Sasikiran went on to become one of India’s strongest chess players and has represented the country in many international tournaments. He became a Grandmaster (GM) and has been one of India’s leading chess figures for many years.
6. P. Harikrishna secured the National Chess Championship in 2000. Harikrishna has been one of India’s top chess players for over two decades. He became a Grandmaster (GM) in 2001 and has represented India in various Chess Olympiads and other international competitions, becoming one of India’s most successful chess exports.
7. Deepan Chakkravarthy won the National Chess Championship in 2002. Chakkravarthy, a Grandmaster (GM), has represented India in many international tournaments and has been a prominent player in India’s chess scene during the early 2000s.
8. P. Magesh Chandran won the National Chess Championship in 2003. Magesh Chandran, a Grandmaster (GM), has played in many national and international chess tournaments, earning recognition for his solid and consistent performances.
9. ABIA S. Arun Prasad claimed the National Chess Championship in 2004. A Grandmaster, Arun Prasad is known for his contributions to Indian chess, particularly during the early 2000s, and his victory in the national championship was one of the highlights of his career.
10. P. Karthikeyan won the National Chess Championship in 2007. Karthikeyan has been a consistent performer at the national level and achieved the Grandmaster (GM) title in 2013. His 2007 national title win marked a key achievement in his early chess career.
11. Ashwin Jayaram won the National Chess Championship in 2008 and 2009, making him a back-to-back national champion. Jayaram, a Grandmaster (GM), has had notable success in Indian chess during his career, and his double victory in the national championship solidified his standing as one of India’s top chess players at the time.
12. M. Shyam Sundar won the National Chess Championship in 2010 and 2011. A Grandmaster (GM), Shyam Sundar has been a key player in Indian chess, earning accolades for his consistent performance at the national level.
13. N. Srinath won the National Chess Championship in 2012, 2013, and 2014, becoming a dominant force in Indian chess. Srinath, a Grandmaster (GM), has been part of India’s chess team at the Chess Olympiad and is known for his strong and calculated play.
14. Aravindh Chithambaram claimed the National Chess Championship in 2016. A rising star in Indian chess, Chithambaram became a Grandmaster in 2019. His victory in the national championship marked him as one of the promising young talents in India.

These champions have played crucial roles in shaping the chess landscape in India, contributing to its rise as one of the strongest chess nations globally. Each of their victories in the National Chess Championship helped to bring attention to Indian chess talent, and they continue to inspire the next generation of players.