Arjun Vishnuvardhan is one of India`s most remarkable chess talents, becoming an International Master at chess when he was merely 16 soon defeating International Master Edward Formanek, a mathematics professor by profession. His steady rise in the game of chess has placed him firmly in the list of Indian chess luminaries.

Early life of Arjun Vishnuvardhan
Arjun Vishnuvardhan also known as Chirukandath Manoj Arjun Vishnuvardhan was born on 21st August in the year 1990. Arjun started playing chess at the tender age of 8. For Under-18 years and Under-9 year`s age group, he was the State Champion but he was below 9-years at that time. This 17 year old Indian chess prodigy is an International Master in the United States of America.

In May 2006, at his 15 years of age after beating the top International Master Edward Formanek became the National Game-60 Chess Champion of the integral United States. Edward Formanek is a professor of Mathematics in Pennsylvania University in USA. Arjun became the youngest National Game 60 Champion of the United States with this phenomenal victory over the top IM. Arjun at the age of 16 years and 11 months, became the youngest ever Keralite to become an International Master.

In the year of 2000, by becoming the youngest International FIDE rated player of the country, he posted the National record in India. He won the British Junior Under-11 Championship in the year 2001 held in Scarborough, UK. In the very next year, Arjun won the Under-16 Youth Championship which was held at Middle East. He again made the history in chess when he was just 11-years and few months old. In a co-occurrent chess contention held in UAE, he has defeated Grandmaster Iuldachev Saidali of Uzbekistan and become the youngest chess player of India ever to vote out a Grandmaster outside of India in a simul chess competition.

Career of Arjun Vishnuvardhan
This chess wizard after a break of one year from chess, in the year 2004 came back to the International chess circuit. This time, the world experienced a tremendous form of him. In the same year, he tied for the North American & Caribbean Youth Championship title. He became the Youth Chess Champion in the year 2005. In the Biel Chess Festival, held at Switzerland, he became the triple gold winner. Another Youth title after a few months, he won from Spain. In between the year 2005 to 2007, he drew and overcame lot of International Masters and Grandmasters in various play, rapid and regular chess championships. These championships were held at USA, Switzerland, Spain and other parts of the world. As on 13th of August 2007, he has an International Fide elo of 2325. At the age of 16 years, he won 18 International chess medals as on 13th August 2007.

The achievements which he has achieved through out his small career are: At the age of 9, he was the youngest Indian to get the International rating. At the age of only 16 he is the holder of 18 International chess medals. The famous Grandmasters Dusan Popovich (Serbia), Silvino Garcia (Cuba), Antic Dejan (Serbia), Iuldachev Saidali (Uzbekistan) Julio Becerra (USA) was defeated recently by him. And he also drew with Grandmasters Dimitry Gurevich (USA), Anatoly Lein (USA), Vitali Golod (Israel), Mikhail Ulibin (Russia), Kostic Vladimir (Serbia), Ciric Dragoljub (Yugoslavia) and Ivan Nemet (Switzerland) in the various International blitz, rapid and regular chess tournaments.

This kind of victory is really an unusual accomplishment among junior chess players, and places Arjun Vishnuvardhan clearly amongst the rising stars of Indian chess.