Jalandhar boy is Intl Master in chess, second in Punjab
Namitbir Singh Walia from Jalandhar has become an International Master (IM) in chess, marking a major milestone for Punjab as the state’s second-ever IM.
The first to reach this title was Dushyant Sharma, also from Jalandhar. Namitbir secured his final IM title at the 3rd Annemasse International Masters Tournament in France, where he delivered an impressive performance to finish fourth overall.
His parents Arvinder Pal Singh and Satvinder Kaur Walia and elder brother are chartered accountants at Chhoti Baradari colony. Namit is pursuing a B.Com at Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi.
His father reminisced about his own chess involvement in his school days, sharing how he would play chess with his sons at home. “Namit showed an early talent, emerging as the state under-7 chess champion and maintaining this record through subsequent under-17 championships. On the national stage, he initially faced stiff competition from players from south India, but persistent practice and professional coaching helped him overcome these challenges.”
Despite just returning from France, his proud parents haven’t met him yet, as he will be in Delhi for a few more days before coming home for the weekend. Namitbir studied at Cambridge International Co-Ed School, Jalandhar.
Namitbir’s coach, Kanwarjit Singh, highlighted that his protégé began playing chess at six and started coaching with him at seven. By the completion of his schooling, Namitbir had surpassed his coach’s expertise, prompting a move to advanced coaching from Ukraine-based Alexander and Swayam Mishra of Assam. This early identification of talent and subsequent international training set Namitbir on his successful path.
Namitbir Singh Walia’s chess record includes championships such as the 65th Odisha Senior State FIDE Rating Open Chess Championship in 2025. His peak FIDE classical rating is around 2,408. He remains active at key international chess events and festivals, adding to his growing list of achievements.
This accomplishment comes almost four years after Dushyant Sharma made history as Punjab’s first International Master in February 2022, when he crossed the 2,400 rating mark after defeating IM Artem Sadovsky of Russia.
Jalandhar