Harikrishnan A Ra finally achieved his Grandmaster title after seven years as an International Master, becoming India's 87th GM at the La Plagne International Chess Festival in France. The 23-year-old Chennai player secured his third and final GM-norm by drawing with compatriot P. Iniyan in the final round on Friday.

"It's been seven years. I agree there was a huge delay," Harikrishnan expressed relief after years of struggle. He earned his first GM-norm in Switzerland's Biel International Chess Festival (2023) and second norm in Spain's Lince Andujar Chess Open in June.

The recent M.Com graduate plans to compete in Spanish and Portuguese tournaments before pursuing an MBA in the USA, targeting a 2600 Elo rating.