Mir Sultan Khan (1904-1966) was a celebrated Indian chess master who represented the British Empire three times in Chess Olympiads, securing multiple wins against some of the world's top players between 1929 to 1933. Born to a humble family in Punjab (now part of Pakistan), he was trained in Indian chess and later transitioned to the international version of the game.
His entrance to the international chess scene was facilitated by his patron and master, Colonel Nawab Sir Umar Hayat Khan, who first introduced him to Western Chess. Sultan Khan quickly became recognized as one of the top players globally, despite the challenges presented by his unfamiliarity with European chess conventions and his limited English proficiency.
In his relatively short international career, Sultan Khan won the British Chess Championship three times, in 1929, 1932, and 1933. In 1930 and 1931, he also secured wins against notable grandmasters like Capablanca and Tartakower.
His displacement from India to London, due to political duties of his master, caused difficulties for Sultan Khan. He found it hard to adapt to the British climate and society, which greatly affected his personal life and chess career. In 1933, he left professional chess and returned to India, then moved to Pakistan after its creation in 1947. He subsequently lived a life of obscurity and his contributions to chess remained largely uncredited until the publication of biographical works revealed more about his life and achievements. His playing style has been described as hypermodern and his talent commended by peers including Capablanca and Tartakower.
His lasting impact is illustrated by his inclusion in Garry Kasparov's book "My Great Predecessors," and in the opinion of International Master and renowned coach Jeremy Silman, who considered Sultan Khan's career achievements to be equal to those of a grandmaster. Despite Sultan Khan being officially unrecognized as a grandmaster due to his short career and the titles' non-existence during his peak years, his impact on chess history is indelible.