The branding evolution of Indian chess grandmasters

Once the quiet domain of a solitary genius, Indian chess has exploded into a high-stakes, high-decibel arena teeming with a new dynasty of grandmasters. For brands, the game has changed from a niche bet on intellect to a mainstream play on India’s global ambition, digital savvy, and a generation of relatable champions.

Picture this: it’s the late 1990s. A nation of a billion people, overwhelmingly devoted to the religion of cricket, is learning to rally behind a new kind of hero. He doesn't wield a bat; he commands a 64-square battlefield with quiet intensity. Viswanathan Anand, India’s first grandmaster, was becoming a household name, and in doing so, he was writing the first chapter in the brand book of Indian chess. He was, as Dr Rutu Mody Kamdar, Founder of Jigsaw Brand Consultants, puts it, “our first grandmaster brand. Calm, cerebral, and almost philosophical in his appeal. He gave chess respect.”

In 2025, the board looks radically different. The lone king has been joined by a formidable troop of young, ambitious conquerors. The global top 10 is no longer a distant dream but a frequent stomping ground for Indian talent, with players like World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju, Arjun Erigaisi, and R Praggnanandhaa becoming fixtures in the elite club. This isn't just a succession; it's something more.

As Rupesh Kashyap, Consultant - Cultural Strategist & Project Head at Curativity and Founder & Independent CCO at fireandwaterr, colorfully illustrates, we’re witnessing “four superheroes on the same chessboard: Gukesh (19, two-million Instagram fans, RBL Bank on his jacket); Arjun Erigaisi (India’s rating No. 1, locked into a ₹12-crore / $1.5m five-year pact with Quantbox); Praggnanandhaa (Gen-Z crowd-pleaser, 8-lakh-plus followers, long-term backing from the Adani Group); and Viswanathan Anand, the evergreen professor whose 26-year friendship with NIIT is still the longest classroom ad ever run in India.”

This shift from a single icon to a powerful collective has irrevocably altered the branding landscape. The narrative has evolved from celebrating a lone genius to championing a national movement, forcing brands, marketers, and an entire ecosystem to rethink their strategies. How did we get here? And in a world where every eyeball is fiercely contested, what is the new brand value of a checkmate?

Crafting the 'MindChampion'

Before the multi-million dollar deals and the social media buzz, there was Viswanathan Anand. His emergence was not just a sporting achievement; it was a cultural moment that laid the very foundation for the commercial viability of chess in India. As Siddharth Raman, CEO of Sportz Interactive, notes, “Viswanathan Anand’s emergence in the late ’90s was foundational; not just as a global champion but as a cultural icon who gave chess a face in a cricket-dominated landscape.”

Anand’s brand was meticulously built, consciously or not, around the pillars of intellect, integrity, and aspiration. His partnership with NIIT, which began in 1999, is the stuff of marketing legend. It wasn't just a sponsorship; it was a symbiotic narrative. NIIT wasn't merely putting its logo on a shirt; it was positioning itself alongside the "fastest brain in the world." Anand became the "NIIT MindChampion," a title that resonated deeply with an Indian middle class that placed a premium on education.

Kashyap describes the impact perfectly: “Think of him as Sachin plus Shankaracharya rolled into one quiet man with a chess clock. When NIIT crowned him ‘MindChampion,’ parents suddenly saw 64 squares as a tuition class, not a time-pass. The result: chess became the only Indian sport besides cricket that could sell textbooks and laptops in a single ad, a template every future grandmaster now riffs on.”

This was the genius of the Anand-era branding. He made chess a parent-approved obsession. His calm demeanour and global success projected an image of a reliable, world-class Indian, making him a safe and prestigious bet for brands like NIIT and Horlicks. The message was clear and powerful: associate with Anand, associate with intelligence.

From a soloist to a symphony

For two decades, the story of Indian chess was largely the story of Viswanathan Anand. Today, it’s an ensemble cast with multiple protagonists. The arrival of Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, Erigaisi, and a deep bench of other prodigious talents has transformed the narrative. It’s a paradigm shift that brands are finding impossible to ignore.

“But today’s stars, Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, Erigaisi bring a different energy. They’re young, dynamic, digital natives,” observes Dr. Kamdar. This dynamism has turned a niche interest into a full-blown movement. Siddharth Raman concurs, stating, “With stars like Gukesh Dommaraju, Arjun Erigaisi, and R Praggnanandhaa occupying top global rankings, chess in India is no longer about a lone genius. It’s a movement... What used to be a niche opportunity is now a dynamic, youth-driven platform.”

This "movement marketing," as Raman calls it, offers a much broader canvas for brands. Where Anand was a respected guru on a pedestal, the new generation is relatable geniuses. The tone, as Kashyap astutely points out, “slid from sermon to selfie, and that switch unlocked youth-market gold.” Brands are no longer just saying, “Be smart like him.” They’re saying, “Hang out with Pragg and chill out with the pure joy of solving a puzzle with him.”

The power of the collective cannot be overstated. ShabbirHusain R.V., Associate Professor - Marketing, and Chairperson - PGEMP and PGPMBM at SPJIMR, draws a compelling parallel: “When success comes from a group rather than a single star, it creates a stronger sense of hope, inspires wider followership, and encourages deeper brand associations. We saw something similar with the rise of multiple badminton champions in India a few years ago.” For marketers, this translates into choice and strategy. Kashyap nails the marketing implication: “Four Indians in the global top-ten at once... means marketers finally have a choir, not a soloist. It’s like IPL before the auctions: brands can draft a Champion, a Prodigy or a Tactician depending on the brief.”

Decoding the new valuation model

With a new generation comes a new rulebook for brand valuation. The equation is no longer a simple calculation based on ranking alone. In today's digital-first world, a grandmaster's brand equity is a complex algorithm of performance, personality, and platform.

So, what metrics matter most? The experts agree on a multi-layered model:

1. The Scoreboard (ELO Rating): This remains the non-negotiable entry ticket. As Rupesh Kashyap states bluntly, it's “The sport’s scoreboard; no 2700+, no deal.” It’s the baseline credibility upon which everything else is built.

2. Screen Magnetism (Digital Influence): This is where the new generation truly shines. It’s a formula of “followers × engagement (a reel with 275k likes is a CPM dream),” says Kashyap. Raman emphasises that prodigies who are “authentic, relatable, and digitally savvy are far more valuable in the long term.”

3. The Story (Narrative Arc): Beyond the numbers and the followers lies the power of the story. A player’s “age, coach, quest arc” are crucial components that build an emotional connection with the audience. Gukesh’s historic World Championship win at 18, Pragg and his sister Vaishali becoming the first GM sibling duo, Arjun’s relentless climb—these are powerful narratives.

This evolving model has attracted a new breed of sponsors. “That’s gold for education, fintech, and digital-first brands,” says Dr. Kamdar. The long-term, multi-million dollar deal between Arjun Erigaisi and quantitative trading firm Quantbox is a testament to this. So is Praggnanandhaa's backing by the Adani Group and Gukesh's ambassadorship for RBL Bank. These aren't fleeting, opportunistic endorsements; they are strategic, long-term investments.

The question of a ceiling in the cricket-mad Indian market remains. While no one expects a chess player to rival Virat Kohli’s endorsement empire, the glass ceiling is showing cracks. “Today cricket bags roughly eight out of every ten endorsement rupees,” Kashyap concedes. “But... its cost-to-attention ratio is sweeter: one tenth the fee, one fifth the audience, plus a ‘smart-kid halo’ money can’t buy. So the ceiling is glass, not concrete, brands can see beyond it if they choose.”

This leads to the final, crucial shift in brand strategy: from short-term campaigns to long-term equity. Brands are realising the folly of treating these athletes as one-hit wonders. As Raman explains, “The key shift is from moment marketing to movement marketing... Brands that previously saw these athletes as campaign-specific assets are now investing in them as long-term equities.” The most prescient advice for marketers comes from Kashyap: “Treat a prodigy like a mango tree, not a firecracker, plant early, water often, and enjoy shade for decades.”

The branding of Indian chess has truly evolved. Anand opened the door and built the foundation. He established that a chess player could be a brand. This new generation has stormed through that door, turning the house into a buzzing, multifaceted, and highly valuable media property. As they continue their march across the world's chessboards, they carry the aspirations of a nation and the attention of the world's biggest brands.

As Kashyap concludes, “Anand opened the first chapter; Gen-Z grandmasters are turning it into a binge-worthy series. Brands that cameo now might just end up co-authors of the best brain-sport story India has ever told.” For the world of advertising and marketing, it's their move.

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