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 Chennai player drew against fellow Indian GM P. Iniyan in the final round to finish with the required performance. This completed a seven-year journey since earning his International Master title in 2018, after previous GM norms in Biel in 2023 and Andújar Open in 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/ | |
| 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. |