Diwakar Prasad Singh

2. Diwakar Prasad Singh: Seeded 62; Rating 2247; Performance of 2505 against opponents with an average rating of 2330; A gain of 66 rating points.

THIS Jharkhand lad was the biggest surprise of the event. He scored 7.5 points off higher-rated players. Defeated fellow qualifiers such as B. S. Shivanandan, Arghyadip Das, Abhijeet Gupta (besides former National champion P. Konguvel) and drew with M. S. Thej Kumar, Lanka Ravi, P. D. S. Girinath and Vikramaditya Kamble. Barring the last game, he did not settle for any pre-agreed draws. Showed a positive approach and attitude to make it to his first National `A'.