At an age when most children are just beginning to identify alphabets, Sarwagya Singh Kushwaha has etched his name into chess history. The nursery student from Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, has become the world’s youngest FIDE-rated player at three years, seven months, and 20 days old.
With a rapid rating of 1,572, Sarwagya surpassed the record previously held by Kolkata’s Anish Sarkar, who achieved the milestone at three years, eight months, and 19 days in November last year.
Despite his small stature which, often requires him to stand on a chair or stack seats to reach the far side of the board, Sarwagya has demonstrated a maturity in competitive play that defies his tender age.
Securing an official rating from the International Chess Federation (FIDE) requires a player to score points against at least five rated opponents in recognized tournaments, a strict criterion the toddler met with impressive results.
Sarwagya won five out of his eight rated games, defeating opponents way older and more experienced than himself. His path to the record books included victories against 22-year-old Abhijeet Awasthi, rated 1,542, at the GH Raisoni Memorial in Chhindwara, and 29-year-old Shubham Chourasiya at a tournament in Khandwa. He also bested Yogesh Namdev, a player with a rating of 1,696, during the Dr. Ajit Kasliwal Memorial in Indore.
Sarwagya picked up the sport a year ago at the age of two-and-a-half, after his parents introduced him to the game in an attempt to reduce his screen time. His father, Siddharth Singh, noted that the boy’s mind acted like a "sponge," allowing him to identify all chess pieces accurately within a week. Currently, the toddler dedicates four to five hours daily to the sport, splitting time between a local training center and online tactics.
His coach, Nitin Chaurasiya, admitted that early training required creative methods, such as offering toffees or chips for good moves. "You ask him anything and there’s no hesitation in answering. He can also hold his own on the board against older kids. You can see his guts when he plays," Chaurasiya said.
While his technical skills are advancing, his father highlights the boy's unusual focus as a defining trait. "If you wake him up in the middle of the night and ask him to play, he will for hours without a break. But what separates him from other kids his age is his patience to sit on the board and not get restless," Siddharth explained.
The coaching team is already looking ahead, with eyes set on the record for the youngest Grandmaster, currently held by Abhimanyu Mishra at 12 years, four months, and 25 days. "We’ll start looking for other coaches soon who can train him for that goal. Maybe get him some online coaching too," Chaurasiya added.