New Delhi, February 8: Parimarjan Negi is a name held in high regard in the Indian chess community. He showcased his talent on the international stage at a remarkably young age. Negi earned the title of Grandmaster at just 13 years, 4 months, and 20 days, making him the second youngest Grandmaster in history at that time.
Born on February 9, 1993, in New Delhi, Negi displayed exceptional skill in chess from an early age. He won the Under-10 category at the Asian Youth Chess Championship in Tehran in 2002. By 2005/06, he achieved his first Grandmaster norm at the Hastings International Chess Congress. Completing his second and third GM norms at the fourth Parsvnath International Open in Delhi and in Satka, Russia, he made history, breaking the record previously held by Pentala Harikrishna to become India’s youngest Grandmaster.
In 2008, Negi won the Philadelphia International Open Tournament undefeated. He also claimed victories at the Politiken Cup in Copenhagen and the Malaysia Open in 2009. In 2010, he triumphed at the National Premier Chess Championship and became the Asian Chess Champion in 2012. His consistency was further demonstrated by winning the Capelle-la-Grande Open in 2012 and 2013, as well as the Politiken Cup for the second time in 2013.
Negi played a crucial role in winning a bronze medal for the Indian team at the Chess Olympiad held in Tromsø, Norway, in 2014. Having been both the Indian and Asian Chess Champion, he retired from professional chess in 2017.
After retiring from the sport, Negi transitioned into education and research. Following his studies at Amity International School in New Delhi, he graduated in Mathematics from Stanford University in 2018. Reports indicate that he completed his PhD in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2024.
Negi’s journey reflects his dedication to excellence, achieving remarkable success in both chess and academia. In recognition of his achievements in chess, the Government of India honored him with the Arjuna Award in 2010.