Quick Info
| Profession | Chess Player |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Date of Birth | 22/09/2001 |
| Age | 24 years |
| Birthplace | Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
Latest News about Harikrishnan A Ra
11/07/2025
Harikrishnan A Ra became India's 87th Chess Grandmaster and Tamil Nadu's 32nd GM by securing his third and final GM norm at the La Plagne International Chess Festival in France. The 23-year-old from Chennai drew against fellow Indian GM P. Iniyan in the final round to finish fourth with the required performance. This milestone ended a seven-year wait since earning his International Master title in 2018, following norms at Biel in 2023 and Andújar Open in June 2025.
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Bio/Wiki
| Profession(s) | Chess Player & Instructor |
|---|---|
| Famous for | Being India's 87th Grandmaster |
Physical Stats & More
| Height | 5' 6" (168 cm) |
|---|---|
| Eye Color | Black |
| Hair Color | Black |
Educational Qualification(s)
| School | Sethu Bhaskara Matric. Hr. Sec. School, Chennai |
|---|---|
| College/University | SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
| Educational Qualification | Master in Commerce (M.Com) |
Personal Life
| Religion | Hinduism |
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Relationships & More
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
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Family
| Father | V. Rengarajan (Engineer) |
|---|---|
| Mother | Srirenga Nachiar (FIDE Arbiter) |
| Siblings | R. Venkatakrishnan |
Career
| Overview | Harikrishnan A Ra is a chess grandmaster and instructor, known for achieving the title of India's 87th Grandmaster in July 2025. He started playing at age 5 and has made significant strides in national and international chess circuits. He is coached by GM Shyamsundar Mohanraj at Chess Thulir academy in Chennai. | ||||||
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| Chess Federation | All India Chess Federation (AICF) | ||||||
| Coach/Mentor | GM Shyamsundar Mohanraj | ||||||
| World Rank | 16 | ||||||
| FIDE ID | 5081483 | ||||||
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Social Media
| https://www.instagram.com/harikrishnanchess/ | |
| https://www.linkedin.com/in/harikrishnan-a-ra-596aa0235/ | |
| https://x.com/harikrishchess |
Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. Harikrishnan A Ra hails from Ambattur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. | |
| 2. He started playing chess at the age of 5, inspired by his elder brother. | |
| 3. At 7, he became India’s youngest FIDE-rated player after winning the Tamil Nadu Under 7 title. | |
| 4. He gained an Elo rating of 1519 at the age of 8. | |
| 5. In 2012, he won his first title at the King Chess Foundation FIDE rating tournament. | |
| 6. Harikrishnan began serious training at T.Nagar Chess Academy at the age of 13. | |
| 7. He achieved his first IM norm in 2015 and raised his rating significantly during his training. | |
| 8. He lost Elo points in early 2016 but bounced back with the help of a supportive mentor. | |
| 9. He was part of Tamil Nadu's chess team that won multiple medals in the SGFI Tournaments. | |
| 10. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he diligently prepared for his GM title. | |
| 11. Notably, he secured his GM title in 2025 after enduring a challenging journey. | |
| 12. He secured back-to-back GM norms in just 15 days before achieving his final norm. | |
| 13. He has consistently performed well in classical, rapid, and blitz formats. | |
| 14. After earning his GM title, he chose to stick to his tournament schedule instead of returning home immediately. |