Harika Dronavalli is an Indian female chess Grandmaster, who started playing in her childhood and has played chess in over 40 countries. He has won several chess tournaments and many awards.
Wiki/Biography
Harika Dronavalli was born on Saturday, 12 January 1991 (age 32 years; in 2023) in Gorantla, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India. His zodiac sign is Capricorn. He attended Sri Venkateswara Bala Kuteer school in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. He started playing chess at the age of 7. His parents taught chess to his older sister; however, he got interested in the game of chess and decided to make a professional career in it.
Harika Dronavalli with her parents at the age of 9
Physical appearance
Height (approx): 5′ 9″
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Black
Family
Parents & Siblings
His father’s name is Ramesh Dronavalli, and his mother’s name is Swarna Dronavalli. His father worked as a deputy executive engineer in the Panchayat Raj subdivision of Mangalagiri. She has a sister named Anusha who is married to Telugu Film Director KS Ravindra, popularly known as Bobby.
Harika’s sister Anusha, Harika Dronavalli, Harika’s mother Swarna, Harika’s father Ramesh, Harika’s husband Karteek Chandra and Harika’s brother-in-law (Anusha’s husband) KS Ravindra (Bobby) (right to left)
Husband & Son
Harika got married to Hyderabad-based businessman Karteek Chandra on 19 August 2019. On 24 August 2022, the couple welcomed a daughter named Hanvika.
Harika Dronavalli with her husband, Karteek Chandra
Say Hello ?♀️ to our little princess Hanvika ❤️?✨ pic.twitter.com/ndk7GRw5j6
— Harika Dronavalli (@HarikaDronavali) September 8, 2022
religion
He is a Hindu.
Career
He has an extensive career spanning almost 2 decades. He started his chess training at the young age of 7 under NVS Ramaraju; he played in the Under-9 national championship and won a medal. He won a medal in the under-10 tournament in 2000. He has played in 9 chess olympiads and many national and international level tournaments for Under-12, Under-14, Under-16 and Under-18 age groups. She has played in various Asian women’s chess tournaments and other competitions held around the world. At the age of 13, she became the youngest Indian girl to be part of the Indian women’s chess team in the Olympics. In 2003, she became the youngest Women’s International Scholar (WIM) in the Asian Continent. In 2004, she became the Youngest Female Grandmaster in the Asian Continent. In 2007, he became an International scholar (IM). On 23 July 2011, she became the second Grandmaster (GM) among Indian women chess players. She played chess tournaments even during the advanced stages of her pregnancy.
medal
gold
- 2002: Asian Under-12 Girls Chess Championship, Iran
- 2002: Asian U-18 Girls Chess Championship, Bikaner
- 2003: Member of Team India – Asian Women’s Team Chess Championship, Jodhpur – Individual Gold Medal on 4th Board
- 2004: Women’s U-14 World Youth Championship, Greece
- 2004: Commonwealth U-18 Girls Chess Championship, Mumbai
- 2006: Women’s U-18 World Youth Championship, Georgia
- 2006: Commonwealth Women’s Chess Championship, Mumbai
- 2007: Commonwealth Women’s Chess Championship, New Delhi
- 2007: Asian Zonal Women’s Chess Championship, Bangladesh
- 2007: Indian Team Member – 2nd Asian Indoor Games, Macau – Rapid Chess Team
- 2007: Member of Team India – 2nd Asian Indoor Games, Macau – Individual Women’s Rapid Chess
- 2008: World Girls Junior Chess Championship, Turkey
- 2009: Indian Women’s Team Captain – Asian Women’s Team Chess Championship, Kolkata – Individual Gold Medal on Top Board
- 2010: Commonwealth Women’s Chess Championship, New Delhi
- 2011: Asian Women’s Chess Championship, Iran
- 2014: Team India Member – Asian Women’s Team Chess Championship, Iran – Top Board Individual Gold Medal
- 2015: World Women’s Online Blitz Championship, Rome
- 2016: FIDE Women’s Grand Prix, Chengdu
- 2016: Team India Member – Asian Women’s Team Chess Championship, UAE – Individual Gold Medal in Rapid format
silver
- 2000: Women’s U-10 World Junior Chess Championship, Spain
- 2001: Asian Under-12 Girls Chess Championship, Bikaner
- 2002: Women’s U-12 World Junior Chess Championship, Spain
- 2003: Asian Women’s Chess Championship, Calicut
- 2003: Commonwealth Women’s Chess Championship, Mumbai
- 2005: Asian Girls Junior Championship, Bikaner
- 2007: Indian Team Member – 2nd Asian Indoor Games, Macau – Classic Chess Team
- 2007: Member of Indian Team – 2nd Asian Indoor Games, Macau – Blitz Chess Team
- 2008: Captain of the Indian Women’s Team – Asian Women’s Team Chess Championship, Visakhapatnam – the team won the silver medal
- 2008: Indian Women’s Team Captain – Asian Women’s Team Chess Championship, Visakhapatnam – Individual Silver Medal on Top Board
- 2009: Captain of the Indian Women’s Team – Asian Women’s Team Chess Championship, Kolkata – the team won the silver medal
- 2009: Indian Women’s Team Captain – Asian Women’s Team Chess Championship, Kolkata – Individual Silver Medal on Top Board
- 2011: Commonwealth Women’s Chess Championship, South Africa
- 2012: Member of Team India – World Women’s Team Chess Championship, Turkey – Individual Silver Medal on Second Board
- 2014: Indian Team Member – Asian Women’s Team Chess Championship, Iran – Team won Silver medal in Standard format
- 2014: Indian Team Member – Asian Women’s Team Chess Championship, Iran – Team won Silver medal in Rapid format
- 2015: Member of Team India – World Women’s Team Chess Championship, China – Individual Silver Medal on Second Board
- 2016: Team India Member – Asian Women’s Team Chess Championship, UAE – Individual Silver Medal on Top Board in Classical format
- 2019: FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament
It’s been an incredible few weeks playing the FIDE Grand Swiss tournament. Ended with a rating gain of 23 points and the best female prize ?? of 9k USD. It feels great to be back in the World top 10 and can’t wait to work even harder and carry this form into the future? pic.twitter.com/EcUdAk9jmO
— Harika Dronavalli (@HarikaDronavali) October 22, 2019
- 2021: FIDE Women’s World Team Championship, Spain
Bronze
- 2002: Women’s U-12 World Junior Chess Championship, Greece
- 2003: Member of Team India – Asian Women’s Team Chess Championship, Jodhpur – Team won Bronze Medal
- 2004: Asian U-18 Girls Chess Championship, Iran
- 2007: 2nd Asian Indoor Games, Macau – Women’s Individual Chess Classic
- 2009: Asian Indoor Games III, Vietnam – Women’s Individual Rapid Chess
- 2009: Asian Indoor Games III, Vietnam – Member in Chess Blitz Team
- 2009: Asian Indoor Games III, Vietnam – Team Rapid Chess
- 2010: 16th Asian Games, Guangzhou, China – Women’s Individual Chess Category
- 2012: World Women’s Chess Championship, Khanty-Mansysk
- 2015: FIDE Women’s Grand Prix, Sharjah
- 2015: World Women’s Chess Championship, Sochi
- 2015: Asia Rapid Women’s Chess Championship, UAE
- 2016: Team India Member – Asian Women’s Team Chess Championship, UAE – Team won Bronze Medal in Rapid format
- 2017: Women’s World Chess Championship, Tehran, Iran
- 2019: Belt and Road Shaoxing International Women’s Open
It was a slow start to the tournament, but happy to finish the tournament strong and earn a cool prize of 15k usd and a Bronze medal ? at the strong Belt and Road Shaoxing International Women’s Open. pic.twitter.com/WI7Hpb44fw
— Harika Dronavalli (@HarikaDronavali) July 18, 2019
- 2021: FIDE Online Chess Olympiad 2021
- 2022: 44th Chess Olympiad, Mamallapuram, Chennai
Award
- In 2007, he won the Arjuna Award given by the Government of India.
- On 3 April 2017, she won the Woman Achiever Award given by Telangana Sports Journalists Association.
Thanks Telangana Sports Journalists Association for Women Achiever Award. Received it from former National Badminton Champion Lakshmi Garu? pic.twitter.com/jZZV8KeFoi
— Harika Dronavalli (@HarikaDronavali) April 3, 2017
- In 2017, she won the most popular Sportsperson of the Year award given by Sakshi Media Group.
Thank you Sakshi Media Group @sakshinews for this year’s most popular sports person award ?? #beautiful #home pic.twitter.com/d71ix2tZXA
— Harika Dronavalli (@HarikaDronavali) May 19, 2017
- He won the Best Chess Player award given by The Times of India (TOISA Annual Award) in 2016, 2017, and 2018.
Thank you #TOISA and @timesofindiathird in a row?? pic.twitter.com/VzJvOYKkv4
— Harika Dronavalli (@HarikaDronavali) February 27, 2018
- He was awarded the Padma Shri award by the Government of India on 28 March 2019.
.@HarikaDronavaliwho has won all there is to win in Indian chess has applied #padmashri in 2016 but his application was rejected. He didn’t give up and won the award in 2019. The 28-year-old recounted his journey with @sid_vishy https://t.co/dPfSO7hTKa pic.twitter.com/yVZLOcR2zt
— News Nation (@NewsNationTV) March 28, 2019
- On 9 March 2021, she was awarded the FLO Women of Influence Award (FIWA) by FICCI.
Thank you FICCI for honoring me with the FIWA award among many other great achievements ?♟?✨ pic.twitter.com/TGtmoWlY9Y
— Harika Dronavalli (@HarikaDronavali) March 9, 2021
Facts/Trivia
- He is sponsored by the Indian Oil company.
Indian Oil has been very supportive over the past few years and I appreciate their contribution in my career??? @IndianOilcl pic.twitter.com/DcugYkhKmM
— Harika Dronavalli (@HarikaDronavali) March 26, 2019
- He applied for the Padma Shri award in 2016; however, his application was rejected. He won it later in 2019.
- His highest International ranking is 5.
- His chess idols are Vladimir Kramnik, Judit Polgar, and Viswanathan Anand.
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
