Grandmaster Harshavardhan GB with his parents (Designed by TimesofIndia.com)
NEW DELHI – As India moves one step closer to achieving the target of producing 100 grand champions, Chennai, long considered the ‘Mecca of Indian chess’, finds itself the protagonist once again.On Sunday, Harshavardhan JP became India’s 97th grandmaster from the same land. He had three wins and one draw in his last four matches to finish second with 6.5/9 points in the second Chola Chess GM Norm Round Robin Tournament, earning his third and final GM Standard.The moment the draw for his final round match against veteran Mikhail Nikitenko was confirmed, Harshavardhan received congratulations from his fellow players and tournament organisers.
But after some handshakes, the 22-year-old rushed outside to the waiting area, where he met a beaming mother trying to hold back tears as she congratulated her son and received congratulations from other parents waiting in the hall.
It was a meaningful moment for the family, but for Harshavardhan, above all, it was a moment of great relief. Why? Because the wait was too long. Harshavardhan claimed the International Master (IM) title in 2020 and spent the next six years chasing the coveted GM title.
“I feel relieved, first of all, to finally finish it,” Harshavardhan told TimesofIndia.com during an exclusive conversation. “The other good thing for me is that I got the IM title in Chennai, which is the last criterion. Now, getting the GM title here is also special.”
He is now a grandmaster, the pride of his parents
The emotional scenes outside the playing hall were reflected at home by Harshavardhan’s father, Gopalakrishnan K, a respected FIDE coach and former top-ranked competitive player who once captained the Indian chess team.For a father who spent years coaching other elite players, seeing his son cross the final threshold was an indescribable milestone.“There are no words that can explain his happiness. He is very happy,” Harshavardhan said. “He wanted to come (to the venue) right after that (GM Standard was secured). He was very excited to be there.”The win was also a tribute to his mother, who was his regular travel companion for most of his career.“She used to accompany me until the last three years in every tournament,” recalls Harshavardhan.
Harshavardhan GB with his mother (Photo by @CholaChess on X)
Although logistical and health considerations have caused him to transition to traveling alone over the past two or three years, her maternal supervision has never wavered.“Even when I travel alone, she makes sure she takes care of everything,” he added with a smile.
Grandmaster Origins
Harshavardhan’s introduction to the chessboard occurred entirely within the comfortable confines of his family home.When he was about three or four years old, his father would regularly host training sessions for visiting international masters and professors.“They used to attend classes at my house. At that age, I would just watch them,” Harshavardhan said. “Then at some point, around four years old, I gained interest and started playing.”
Harshavardhan GB secures final GM standard (Photo by @CholaChess on X)
Realizing the boy’s quick affinity for the game, his father turned to his close friend and Indian Bank teammate, FM Hariharan Venkatachalam, to handle the foundational training stages in Anna Nagar, Chennai.Hariharan was immediately struck by the left-handed boy’s raw potential.“He was a very smart student, very quick and numerate,” Hariharan told this website. “In his early years, he showed interest. He was very good at tactics at first. He was left-handed, so I thought he would be very good at something special.”
A “legend” among friends
As Harshavardhan rose through the ranks, his sharp tactical eye and unorthodox analytical thoughts earned him an affectionate nickname among his coaching peers.“We used to play practice games at that time when we were attending classes,” Harshavardhan explained with a smile. “I don’t remember if I did much better there, or I came up with some very creative ideas while doing those analyses. And so somehow that name got picked up, and then it started.”His friends simply called him “the legend.”This reputation was backed by an incredibly consistent junior career.
He won the Asian Schools Bronze Medal in 2012, the Asian Youth Bronze Medal in 2015, and the Problem Solving Silver Medal in the 2016 Asian Championships.At the local level, he dominated the circuit, winning state championships in almost every age group from under-9s to under-19s. He later added FIDE World Youth Online Under-18 gold in 2021, Asian Junior gold in 2022, and even qualified for the FIDE World Cup.After his initial years with Hariharan, Harshavardhan worked closely with veteran coach Visweswaran Kameswaran until 2022, before moving on to grandmaster Dipan Chakravarthy in 2024.“They were really supportive of me, the coaches,” he stressed.
When talent alone was not enough
Although he comes from a chess-focused family, the path to the title of grandmaster exposed Harshavardhan to severe professional hurdles. Having a FIDE coach as a father provided him with a clear road map, but that could not protect him from the psychological weight of the sport.“You may know what’s coming, but you can’t stop what’s coming,” Harshavardhan said. “You could say you know you might have to face this, but you can’t avoid facing challenges.”The most testing phase occurred during his long, agonizing quest to achieve GM’s final standard after 2020. He suffered a heartbreaking series of near misses around the world.“I’ve missed the GM standard in about 10 to 15 tournaments very easily. It will either be the technical part or I miss by half a point,” he added.
Harshavardhan GB (Photo by ChessBase India)
It also affected the practical difficulties of international travel. During an event in Kazakhstan, a severe flight delay left him completely stranded for two days.Furthermore, maintaining a strict vegetarian diet in foreign countries has become a constant logistical struggle.These challenges are further exacerbated by the absolute lack of financial support. Harshavardhan navigated the expensive international circuit without a major corporate sponsor.“I was never on a scholarship, and I was never sponsored. I had a scholarship from the Airports Authority for a while, but now I’m not on anything,” he revealed.The financial burden fell entirely on his small nuclear family. “Every time you travel, you spend a lot. Not on something you don’t need, but just on tournaments and accommodation. The prices are high.”
Looking to the future
After completing his Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) degree in 2024, Harshavardhan made a conscious decision to devote himself entirely to chess as a full-time career.Now that the burden of the grandmaster title has been lifted, his sights are set on the highest level of world chess.“The only thing I hope for is to reach 2,600 or 2,700. Like becoming a super GM,” Harshavardhan concluded.