Harika Dronavalli Age, Husband, Family, Biography

Bio/Wiki
Other Name	Harika Dronavalli Chandra
Profession	Chess Player
Famous for	FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs) title of Woman Grandmaster (WGM) in 2011
Physical Stats
Height (approx.)	5' 7" (170 cm)
Eye Colour	Black
Hair Colour	Black
Chess
Coach/Mentor	• N.V.S. Ramaraju •Abhijit Kunte
Playing Style	Aggressive
Awards, Achievements	• 2024: won the Gaprindashvili Trophy, Vera Menchik Cup and gold medal (team) a45th Women's Chess Olympiad at Budapest, Hungary • 2019: Padma Shri Award by the Government of India for her outstanding performance in Chess 2017: Chess Player of the Year at the Times of India Sports Award (TOISA) • 2021: Influential Women Award at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry Ladies Organization (FICCI FLO) for outstanding contribution in chess • 2019: Top-rated Female Player Trophy at the FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament • 2016: Chess Player of the Year at the Times of India Sports Award (TOISA) • 2015: People's Choice Award at the Times of India Sports Award (TOISA) • 2011: FIDE Grand Master (GM) Title - Second Woman Grandmaster in India • 2008: Arjuna Award by the Government of India for her outstanding performance in Chess • 2007: FIDE International Master (IM) Title • 2004: FIDE Woman Grandmaster (WGM) Title - Youngest Woman Grandmaster in Asian Continent at age 13 • 2003: FIDE Woman International Master (WIM) Title - Youngest Woman International Master in Asian Continent
Medals	Gold Medal • 2024: 45th Women's Chess Olympiad (team) at Budapest, Hungary • 2016: FIDE Women's Grand Prix in Chengdu, China • 2016: Asian Women's Team Chess Championship, UAE (Individual) in Rapid format • 2015: FIDE Women's World Blitz Chess Championship in Rome • 2014: Top Board (Individual) in Asian Women's Team Chess Championship in Iran • 2011: Asian Women's Team Chess Championship, Iran • 2010: Commonwealth Chess Championship, New Delhi • 2009: Top Board (Individual) in Asian Women's Team Chess Championship, Kolkata • 2008: FIDE World Junior (Open & Girls) Chess Championship, Turkey • 2007: Rapid Chess Women (Individual) in 2nd Asian Indoor Games, Macau • 2007: Asian Zonal Chess Championship (Women), Bangladesh • 2007: Commonwealth Chess Championship (Women), New Delhi • 2006: World Youth Chess Championship U-18 Girls, Georgia • 2006: Commonwealth Chess Championship (Women), Mumbai • 2004: Commonwealth Chess Championship Under 18 Girls , Mumbai • 2004: World Youth Chess Championship U-14 Girls, Greece • 2003: Asian Women's Team Chess Championship, Jodhpur individual on 4th board • 2002: Asian Juniors and Girls Chess Championships - FIDE in the under-12 girls category held in Iran • 2002: Asian Juniors and Girls Chess Championships - FIDE in the under-18 girls category held in Bikaner Silver Medal • 2023: 19th Asian Games (team) in Hangzhou, China • 2021: FIDE Women's World Team Championship in Sitges, Spain 2016: Top Board in Classical format (Individual) at Asian Women's Team Chess Championship, UAE • 2015: Second Board (Individual) in Women's World Chess Championship, China • 2014: Standard format (team)in Asian Women's Team Chess Championship in Tabriz, Iran • 2014: Rapid Format (team) in Asian Women's Team Chess Championship in Tabriz, Iran • 2012: Second Board (Individual) FIDE Women's World Team Championship, Turkey • 2011: Commonwealth Chess Championship (Women)in Johannesburg, South Africa • 2009: 6th Asian Team Chess Championship (Women) in Kolkata • 2008: 5th Asian Team Chess Championship (Women) in Visakhapatnam (team) • 2008: Top Board (Individual) in 5th Asian Team Chess Championship (Women) in Visakhapatnam • 2007: 2nd Asian Indoor Games, Macau (team) • 2007: 2nd Asian Indoor Games, Macau (Classical Chess Team) • 2007: 2nd Asian Indoor Games, Macau (Blitz Chess Team) • 2005: Asian Junior Chess Championship (Girls), Bikaner • 2003: Commonwealth Chess Championship (Women), Mumbai • 2003: Asian Chess Championship (Women), Calicut • 2001: World Youth Chess Championship in the under-12 girls category held in Spain • 2001: Asian Chess Championship in the under-12 girls category • 2000: World Youth Chess Championship in the under-10 girls category held in Spain Bronze Medal • 2021: FIDE Online Chess Olympiad • 2017: 16th Women's World Chess Championship in Tehran, Iran • 2016: Rapid Format (team) in Asian Women's Team Chess Championship, UAE • 2015: Asian Continental Rapid Championship Women's in UAE • 2015: Women's World Chess Championship in Sochi, Russia • 2015: FIDE Women Grand Prix, Sharjah • 2012: Women's World Chess Championship in Khanty-Mansysk, Russia • 2012: 7th Asian Team Chess Championship (women), China • 2010: 16th Asian Games, Women's Individual Chess Category, Guangzhou China • 2009: Rapid Chess (Individual) in women's category in III Asian Indoor Games, Vietnam • 2009: Blitz Chess (Team) in III Asian Indoor Games, Vietnam • 2009: Rapid Chess (Team) in III Asian Indoor Games, Vietnam • 2007: Classical Chess (Individual in women's category in 2nd Asian Indoor Games, Macau • 2003: Asian Women Team Chess Championship, Jodhpur • 2002: World Youth Chess Championship in the under-12 girls category held in Greece
Personal Life
Date of Birth	12 January 1991 (Saturday)
Age (as of 2024)	33 Years
Birthplace	Guntur, Andhra Pradesh
Zodiac sign	Capricorn
Nationality	Indian
Hometown	Hyderabad
School	Sri Venkateswara Bala Kuteer, GUntur, Andhra Pradesh
Food Habit	Non-vegetarian
Religion	Hinduism
Hobbies	Watching movies, Reading, Cooking
Social Media	• Instagram • Facebook • Twitter
Relationships & More
Marital Status	Married
Marriage Date	19 August 2018
Family
Husband/Spouse	Karteek Chandra (businessman)
Children	Daughter- Hanvika
Parents	Father- Ramesh Dronavalli (retired executive engineer) Mother- Swarna Dronavalli
Siblings	Sister- Anusha
Other Relatives	Brother-in-law- K. S. Ravindra aka Bobby (film director)
Favourites
Chess Player	Judit Polgár
Snacks	Berries and nuts
Style Quotient
Car Collection	Jaguar F-Pace

Some Lesser Known Facts About Harika Dronavalli

• Harika Dronavalli started playing chess at age five with her sister under her father’s guidance.

• She used to play friendly matches with one of her family friends and professional chess player Rohit Gogineni, whose father urged her to enter competitions.

• At her first national championship tournament as a seven-year-old, she was inspired by the winner Mary Ann Gomes holding the rolling trophy. She won a medal in her next national championship in the under-9 category.

• She has been active in professional chess since 1999.
  

  A young Harika Dronavalli holding a trophy

• She left formal education to pursue her interest in the sport and according to her, extensive travelling and varied life experiences are good educators.

• She carries an electric pressure cooker and homemade masalas and likes to cook meals when she travels.

• She has the habit of journaling to set goals or manage her expenses.

• She follows a daily exercise routine to stay refreshed and focused.

• In 2016, she reached her career-best (up until the present) world ranking of 5.

• In 2019, she gave a speech about life lessons in her professional chess career at the TEDx event conducted at BITS Pilani.
  

  Harika Dronavalli at TEDx BITS Pilani

• In 2022, she competed in the 44th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Chennai during her ninth month of pregnancy in which the Indian team secured a bronze medal.
  

  Harika Dronavalli at the Chess Olympiad 2022 in Chennai

• As of September 2024, she is at 608 ranking internationally and 43 in the national ranking.