Grandmaster Dibyendu Barua, the second Indian after Viswanathan Anand to achieve the GM title, is one of the most celebrated figures in Indian chess. Starting at the age of six, he went on to win multiple national titles, including three National Senior Championships, and earned international acclaim with a bronze at the World Minor U-14 in 1979 and a famous victory over World No. 2 Victor Korchnoi in 1982. A three-time Asian Zonal Champion, he has represented India in eight consecutive Chess Olympiads (1988–2002) and five consecutive World Championships (1997–2005), winning gold at the 1990 Olympiad and the 2003 Commonwealth Championship. Honoured with the Arjuna Award, Soviet Land Nehru Award, Banga Bhusan, and Banglar Gourav, he is also a respected mentor and administrator as the Founder President of the Chess Players’ Association of India, Director of the Dibyendu Barua Chess Academy, and Vice Chairman of the West Bengal Sports Council. He has been instrumental in promoting the game by organizing major events, including 12 editions of “Chess for Youth,” the 2009 Asian Team Championship, and several International GM Opens.
