Indian Grandmaster M Pranesh advanced to the Top 8 stage of the India Rising: Road to EWC Chess qualifiers after securing qualification through the titled route. The playoffs also feature leading players including Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi and Karthikeyan Murali.
Mumbai, May 24, 2026: India’s leading Grandmasters including World No. 11 Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi, Raunak Sadhwani and Karthikeyan Murali have advanced to the closed playoffs, as the Top 8 stage of the India Rising: Road to EWC Chess qualifiers alongside emerging Indian talent M Pranesh, who secured qualification through the titled qualifiers route after narrowly missing out in the Indian qualifiers.
The qualifiers are part of the India Rising: Road to EWC initiative, launched by JioBLAST and the Esports Foundation to create a competitive pathway for Indian esports and chess talent.
Among the notable stories to emerge from the qualifiers was Indian Grandmaster M Pranesh. Coming from a modest background and having previously relied on crowdfunding support during his rise through the chess circuit, Pranesh’s progression into the Top 8 highlighted the kind of breakthrough opportunity the India Rising platform is aiming to create for emerging Indian talent.
Speaking on the significance of the initiative, Charlie Cowdrey, CEO, JioBLAST, said,
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