Tania Sachdev (born 20 August 1986) is an Indian chess player who holds the titles of International Master and Woman Grandmaster. She has been national women’s champion twice and Asian women’s champion, and she was a member of the Indian women’s team that won gold at the 2024 Chess Olympiad. She is also one of the most recognised chess commentators and presenters in the world.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Tania Sachdev |
| Born | 20 August 1986, Delhi, India |
| Age | 40 |
| Titles | Woman Grandmaster (2005), International Master (2008) |
| Education | Modern School, Vasant Vihar; Sri Venkateswara College, Delhi |
| Spouse | Viraj Kataria (m. 2014) |
| Honour | Arjuna Award (2009) |
| Known for | Chess commentary, Olympiad gold 2024 |
Early Life
Sachdev was introduced to chess at six by her mother, Anju, and won her first international title at eight. Her early coach was K. C. Joshi. She won many national age-group titles and the Asian under-14 girls’ championship.
Career
She became India’s eighth Woman Grandmaster in 2005 and won the national women’s premier championship in 2006 and 2007. In 2007 she won the Asian women’s championship in Tehran, and she earned the International Master title in 2008.
She has played for India in every Women’s Chess Olympiad since 2008. At Istanbul in 2012 she won the individual bronze medal on board three. She was part of the team that won bronze at Chennai in 2022, India’s first medal in the women’s section, where her wins in several close matches were decisive, and of the team that won gold at Budapest in 2024 with Harika Dronavalli, Vaishali Rameshbabu, Divya Deshmukh and Vantika Agrawal.
Sachdev was a member of the official commentary team for the 2013 World Championship match between Viswanathan Anand and Magnus Carlsen in Chennai. She has since commentated on world championship matches, the Candidates, the Olympiad and the Champions Chess Tour, and her lively style has helped draw new viewers to online chess.
Personal Life
She married the Delhi architect Viraj Kataria in 2014. She has been sponsored by Red Bull and has spoken out about the lack of recognition for chess players from Delhi.
Awards and Honours
Major Results
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Tania Sachdev born?
Tania Sachdev was born on 20 August 1986 in Delhi, India and is 40 years old.
What is Tania Sachdev known for?
Known for: Chess commentary, Olympiad gold 2024.
Featured image: Tania Sachdev at the Chess Olympiad, Baku, September 2016. Photo by Andreas Kontokanis, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
