GM Shyaam Nikhil gets into wedlock with R Divya

by R Anantharam - 20/04/2025

Last year, India got only one Grandmaster in the form of P Shyaam Nikhil. Since then we are still awaiting the 86th Grandmaster of the country. So what has the 85th Grandmaster been upto lately? Professor and a well decorated IA R Anantharam writes about Shyaam's wedding. He married to R Divya. She is not a chess player but she loves chess much. The wedding ceremony was a gala event where Tamil Nadu's star-studded players, trainers, arbiters and various members of the chess universe attended this event to show their support and blessings to the newly married couple. Photos: IA R Anantharam

India's 85th GM ties the knot

R Divya is not a chess player but she loves chess very much, as her newly wedded husband Grandmaster P Shyaam Nikhil is a staunch chess lover. Their marriage took place at Nagercoil, the native place of Shyaam in a grand manner on 18th April. From the chess side, GM Sundararajan Kidambi, GM brothers Visakh and Vignesh N R, IM Konguvel P, former under-18 world champion WGM Aarthie Ramaswamy, WIM Sai Meera Ravi, former Tamil Nadu champion FM Manigandan and a lot of chess players from local and nearby places attended the marriage.

The chess family with the couple. Far left - GM Sundararajan Kidambi and far right - GM Vignesh N R

Guests started pouring in at Shyaamnikhil’s house on the previous night, illuminated with brilliant colours and light.

Would you like to make checkmates in paradise?

On 18th morning around 9 a.m., Shyaam Nikhil entered the marriage hall, Ganga Granduer, a grand hall indeed.

The grand marriage hall - Ganga Granduer

Shyaam enters the marriage hall in the traditional dress of silk dhoti and silk shirt

A panoramic view of the marriage hall inside

When the guests entered the hall, they were greeted by a nice nadhaswaram concert before and during the marriage.

Nadaswaram concert

After many functions, Shyaam Nikhil tied the three knots with the sacred thali on Divya’s neck.

Shyaam ties the knot using the sacred thali

After the marriage also there were many functions like rolling the coconut, ammi mithithal etc.

Shyaam Nikhil’s marriage ceremony

A traditional function - Ammi Midhithal

Soon after the marriage, the reception started with the bridegroom and the bride clad in the modern dress.

Shyaam Nikhil the groom and Divya the bride with elegant all smiles

The reception started with a music concert, rendering popular Tamil film songs.

A music concert

GM Vignesh, GM Visakh, IA-elect C Jeyam Subaiah and IM-elect M Kunal

Kunal’s mother, WGM Aarthie, Kavitha - wife of IM P Konguvel and WIM Sai Meera Ravi

Ephrame IA and FI, his student Pavithra and her parents who are close relatives of the bride

All the proceedings were displayed on a giant screen for the convenience of the guests.

Display on a big screen

A galaxy of chess stars, who attended the marriage

Sitting (L to R): IA R Anantharam, K Pavithra, WIM Sai Meera Ravi, WGM Aarthie Ramaswamy, Kavitha – wife of IM Konguvel P.

Standing: IA elect C Jeyam Subbaiah, former Tamil Nadu champion FM Manigandan S S, IA and FI M Ephrame, SNA Dusthageer Ibrahim, Joint Secretary of Madurai District Chess Circle (he defeated an IM at a recent tournament), IM-elect M Kunal, GM Vignesh N R, GM Visakh N R, GM Sundararajan Kidambi, IM Konguvel P, and FT and FM Visweswaran K.

A newspaper advertisement on the marriage day

Shyaam Nikhil Unheard

Shyaamnikhil hails from a middle class soft spoken family, with his parents and two brothers living together. He and his mother have tremendous interest in terrace gardening. His terrace will have at least 500 species of medicinal plants, many of which are very rare. They grow a minimum of 23 varieties of Tulsi alone.

Shyaam amidst the plethora of medicinal plants in the terrace of his house

Mother of Shyaam, an economics graduate will outsmart any Botany graduate in this field of medicinal plants

Releasing the teaser soon

Watch soon GM Visakh N R’s nuptial with WIM Aakanksha Hagawane of Maharashtra, a gold medallist in the World University Games

About the Author

Prof. Rathinam Anantharam is an A-grade international arbiter. Member of FIDE Arbiters’ Commission, Chairman of Titles Commission in All India Chess Federation, Vice President of Tamil Nadu State Chess Association, Chief Arbiter for six world championships, many Asian, International and National Championships. Nominated as one of the top seven arbiters in the world for the past hundred years by FIDE.

The article was edited by Shahid Ahmed