New Delhi: As India moves one step closer to the mark of producing 100 Grandmasters, Chennai, known as the “Mecca of Indian chess”, has once again found itself a protagonist.On Sunday, Harshavardhan GB became the 97th Grandmaster (GM) of India from there. After winning three times and drawing once in his last four games to finish second with 6.5/9 points at the 2nd Chola Chess GM Norm Round Robin Tournament, he earned his third and final GM spot.The moment the draw was confirmed in his final match against veteran Mihail Nikitenko, Harshavardhan was praised by his fellow players and tournament organizers. But after a brief handshake, the 22-year-old ran outside to the waiting area, where he met a happy mother trying to hold back her tears as she congratulated her son and received praise from other parents who were waiting in the hall.It was a good time for the couple, but for Harshavardhan, it was a very relaxing time. Why? Because the wait was long. Harshavardhan earned his International Master (IM) title back in 2020 and spent the next six years chasing the coveted title of GM.“I am relieved, first of all, he is finishing,” Harshavardhan told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview. “And another good thing for me is that I took my IM title in Chennai, the last culture. Now, doing my role as GM here is special.”
A Grandmaster now, the pride of his parents
Events outside the playing hall were shown at home by Harshavardhan’s father, Gopalakrishnan K, a respected FIDE teacher and former competitive player who led the Indian Bank chess team.For a father who spent years coaching other top players, seeing his son cross the final hurdle was an unbelievable experience.“No words can describe his happiness. He is very happy,” Harshavardhan shared. “He wanted to come (to the place) soon after (the GM practice was protected). He was very happy to be there.”The win was also a tribute to his mother, who served as his constant companion throughout much of his career.“He used to accompany me till the last three years in every race,” said Harshavardhan.
Harshavardhan GB with his mother (Photo by @CholaChess on X)
Despite the influence of the administration, the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of the administration of administration“Even if I’m traveling alone, they make sure to take care of everything,” he added with a smile.
Grandmaster’s introduction
Harshavardhan’s introduction to the chessboard took place inside his family’s comfortable home.When he was three or four years old, his father was conducting International Masters and Grandmasters courses.“They used to attend lessons at my house. At that age, I used to watch them,” said Harshavardhan. “Then at one point, like about four, I got excited and started playing.”
Harshavardhan GB gets GM’s final routine (Photo by @CholaChess on X)
Noticing the young man’s keen connection to the sport, his father turned to his close friend and partner in Indian Bank, FM Hariharan Venkatachalam, to carry out the initial stages in Anna Nagar, Chennai.Hariharan was immediately impressed with the left-hander’s offensive potential.“He was very educated, very fast, and very good at reading,” Hariharan told the website. “In his early years, he showed interest. He was very strategic at first. He was left-handed, so I thought he would be very good at something special.”
A ‘legend’ between friends
As Harshavardhan rose through the ranks, his sharp eye and uncompromising attitude made him a sensation among his fellow trainees.“We used to play training games then while studying,” Harshavardhan said with a smile. “I don’t remember if I was doing the best there, or I came up with the most creative ideas while doing that analysis. So that somehow the name was taken, and then it started.”His friends call him “the legend”.That reputation was backed up by a great deal of consistent work. He won a bronze medal at the Asia Schools in 2012, a bronze at the Asia Youth in 2015, and a silver in problem solving at the 2016 Asian Championship.At home, he dominated the regions, winning national championships in almost all age groups from 9 to 19 years old. He later added FIDE World Youth Online Under-18 gold in 2021, Asian Juniors gold in 2022, and qualified for the FIDE World Cup.After his early years with Hariharan, Harshavardhan worked with former teacher Visweswaran Kameswaran until 2022, before moving to Grandmaster Deepan Chakkravarthy in 2024.“My coaches have been helping me a lot,” he emphasized.
When skill alone was not enough
Although he came from a chess family, the path to Grandmaster exposed Harshavardhan to technical challenges. Having a FIDE teacher as a father provided a clear map, but it could not protect him from the emotional weight of the game.“You can know what’s coming, but you can’t stop what’s coming,” Harshavardhan said. “You can say you know you have to face it, but you can’t avoid facing it.”The most testing phase took place at the time when they wanted to have the final culture of GM after 2020.“I missed the routine of the GM like 10 to 15 games easily. It will be a technical part, or I missed by half a point,” he added.
Harshavardhan GB (Photo by ChessBase India)
The problems caused by foreign travel became worse. At the event in Kazakhstan, severe flight delays kept him out for two days.In addition, maintaining a strict vegetarian diet in foreign countries was always a logistical struggle.Adding to these problems was the lack of financial support. Harshavardhan ran the world’s most expensive properties without a company founder.“I have never been in training, I have never been an assistant. I had training at the Airports Authority for some time, but at the moment I am not in anything,” he revealed.The financial burden fell entirely on his small nuclear family. “Every time you travel, you spend a lot of money. Not for things you don’t need, but because of sports and accommodation, the prices are high.”
Looking to the future
After completing his Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce (B.Com) in 2024, Harshavardhan decided to devote himself to chess as a full-time career.Now that the burden of the title of Grandmaster is over, his focus is on the highest level of world chess.“My only hope is to get to 2600, 2700. Like, to be a top GM,” concluded Harshavardhan.
