Malaysia’s young chess prodigy Genivan Genkeswaran, 16, achieved victory at the 19th Asian Schools Chess Championships 2025, held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia from Oct 24 to Nov 2, 2025. Representing Malaysia in the Under-17 Open category, Genivan clinched 1st place, outperforming participants from 16 countries including Australia, China, Russia, India, Indonesia, Korea, Singapore, and Vietnam.
This remarkable win has earned Genivan the prestigious FIDE Master (FM) title, a direct title awarded to gold medalists in the U13, U15, and U17 categories under the FIDE (International Chess Federation) regulations. Previously holding the title of Candidate Master (CM), this achievement marks a significant step forward in his international chess journey.
“We are truly proud of Genivan’s remarkable achievement! This new title [Fide Master] will be the driving force for him to move forward with confidence towards his dreams and goals. It’ll be the beginning to a meaningful journey ahead,” said Selvi Shanmugam, Genivan’s mother, upon hearing the news of his win.
“We hope for his continuous growth not only as a chess player but also as an individual who contributes positively to society,” added Selvi, who is also a Chess Trainer, FIDE Arbiter, and Manager of Chess Master Journey.
The championship, organized by the Mongolia Chess Federation under the auspices of the Asian Chess Federation (ACF) and FIDE, gathered top youth players across Asia for nine intense rounds of Standard play. Genivan’s consistency and strategic mastery throughout the rounds secured him the top spot, followed by Aldar Burentegsh (Mongolia, 17) in second place and Artem Mescheryakov (Russia, 17) in third.
The 19th edition of the championship featured categories from Under-7 to Under-17 (Boys & Girls), showcasing Asia’s finest young talents. Genivan’s win not only highlights Malaysia’s emerging strength in the chess arena but also adds to the nation’s growing list of international achievements in youth mind sports.
