Bengaluru, Nov. 10 -- Chess coach RB Ramesh recalls a conversation not long ago with a sobbing parent. It was a familiar story. A family struggling to afford overseas travel for norm tournaments, a young player's rating taking a beating and confidence beginning to fray. To break the cycle, they needed money. Money to travel, compete and climb back up the rating ladder.

On Sunday, India got its 100th grandmaster.

"For every player who makes it to the grandmaster title, there are many talented ones who have to give up on the dream because it's too expensive," Ramesh says. "For India, it surely has been an exponential growth arc. But it must be said that most of the progress is despite the system."

The GM title carries no prize money. Ear...