Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Pranav V

Pranav Venkatesh, commonly known as Pranav V or Buddy Pranav, is an chess grandmaster renowned for his prodigious talent and achievements in competitive chess, including winning the 2025 . Born on October 13, 2006, in , , Venkatesh began playing chess at the age of six, inspired by the unique design of chess pieces, and quickly rose through the ranks under the guidance of coach Visweswaran Kameswaran. He achieved the title in 2022 at age 15, becoming India's 75th grandmaster and the 27th from , after securing norms at events such as the (2021), Vezerkepzo GM event (2022), and Limpedea Open (2022). Venkatesh's breakthrough came in March 2025 when he claimed the World Junior (Under-20) title in , scoring 9 out of 11 points with an unbeaten performance of seven wins and four draws, marking him as the fourth Indian to win this prestigious championship after , , and . Earlier highlights include victories at the Police Global Chess Challenge (2024) with 7/9 points, the Grand Masters Challengers (2024), and a key contribution to Offerspill Sjakklubb's European Chess Club Cup win in 2023. In September and November 2025, he won the Global Superstars (7/9) and the 8th Masters (9.5/10), respectively. He has also defeated prominent grandmasters like Grigoriy Oparin and , and won individual gold on board 1 for (team silver) at the 2022 World Youth U-16 . Currently residing in and studying at Velammal Vidyalaya, Venkatesh balances his chess career with academics, training at the WestBridge-Anand Chess Academy, and maintains fitness through regular walks. An avid enthusiast and fan of the Royal Challengers (RCB), he idolizes chess legends and , aspiring to become the World Chess Champion.

Early life

Birth and family

Pranav Venkatesh, known as Pranav V, was born on October 13, 2006, in , , . His early childhood was spent in , where his family provided a supportive environment that later influenced his introduction to chess. He is the son of Venkatesh, a technical lead at Limited, and Indumathi V. The family had no prior background in chess, but his father demonstrated strong commitment by vowing not to shave his beard until Pranav achieved the title, a promise fulfilled in 2022. Although born in Karnataka, Pranav is closely connected to through his residence, training base in , and representation of the state as its 27th . The family relocated to during his early years to facilitate his development, solidifying his ties to the region.

Introduction to chess

Pranav Venkatesh, born in in 2006, first encountered chess at the age of six during a visit to a relative's home in , where an intriguing chess set sparked his curiosity. This initial exposure, supported by his family's encouragement from a background that valued extracurricular activities, led him to begin formal training around 2012. He enrolled at VBS Chess Academy in during the 2012-13 period, marking the start of his structured chess education in the city to which his family had relocated to facilitate his development. Later, he transitioned to T Nagar Chess Academy in , where he continued building foundational skills in a more intensive environment. Visweswaran Kameswaran has served as his coach since 2019, offering guidance that has shaped Pranav's understanding of the game. His parents, Venkatesh and Indumathi, made significant sacrifices, prioritizing chess over traditional schooling by enrolling him in flexible programs like those at Velammal Vidyalaya, allowing full dedication to training.

Chess career

Early achievements

Pranav Venkatesh began his competitive chess journey with notable successes in junior events. In 2015, at the age of eight, he claimed the Under-9 in , , scoring a perfect or near-perfect performance to secure the title. The following year, representing , he earned a in the Under-10 category at the in , , and finished fourth in the Asian Youth Chess Championship held in . His rising prowess was further highlighted in 2017 when, as a 10-year-old with a rating of around 2149, he defeated Salem Saleh, rated 2652, in the Open, marking one of his earliest upsets against a high-rated opponent. That same year, he won the IIFLW Juniors tournament in , receiving the trophy from former World Champion . These victories in local and national junior circuits from 2017 onward solidified his reputation as a . Continuing his dominance at the state level, Venkatesh represented and captured the State Senior Championship titles consecutively from 2019 to 2022, demonstrating consistent excellence in domestic competitions. In 2021, he achieved a breakthrough on the international stage by earning his title at the Serbia Masters tournament, where he also secured his first norm with a strong performance. These early accomplishments were supported by rigorous training under coaches at the VBS Chess Academy and T. Nagar Chess Academy in Chennai.

Path to Grandmaster title

Pranav V's path to the Grandmaster title was marked by a series of impressive performances in international tournaments, culminating in 2022 when he became India's 75th Grandmaster at the age of 15. Building on his early junior successes that established him as a rising talent, Pranav secured his second Grandmaster norm in June 2022 at the Vezerkepzo GM June 2022 round-robin tournament in Budapest, Hungary. There, he achieved seven consecutive victories, posting a tournament performance rating of 3175 and crossing the 2500 Elo threshold required for title confirmation for the first time. This result not only fulfilled the norm criteria but also boosted his live FIDE rating above the necessary mark, setting the stage for his final qualification. Just two months later, in August 2022, clinched his third and final norm at the 5th Limpedea Cup in , . Competing in the open section, he delivered an unbeaten performance of 7 out of 9 points, securing clear first place and the norm with a strong showing against titled opponents. This achievement, combined with his prior norms and sustained rating above 2500, qualified him for the title under FIDE regulations. The International Chess Federation (FIDE) officially awarded Pranav the Grandmaster title at its 3rd Council meeting on October 17, 2022, recognizing his rapid progress and contributions to Indian chess. At 15 years old, he joined an elite group of young Indian players who had elevated the nation's standing in global chess.

Major tournament wins

Following his attainment of the Grandmaster title in August 2022, Pranav V quickly established himself on the international stage with a series of standout performances in major tournaments. In October 2022, he secured individual gold on board one at the World Youth U-16 in , , scoring an impressive 8/9 and contributing to India's bronze medal in the team event. That same month, Pranav won the Academy Challenge, part of the Challengers Chess Tour, with an unbeaten 38/42 score across rapid and blitz formats. Pranav capped his breakthrough year by claiming the overall Challengers Chess Tour title in October 2022, defeating fellow Indian 3-0 in the final and earning a spot in a high-profile match against later that year. In October 2023, Pranav played a pivotal role in Offerspill Sjakklubb's victory at the 38th European Chess Club Cup in Durres, , scoring 5/7 on board four alongside teammates including . His key contributions included a round-six win over Dutch (rated 2707) and a round-seven victory against Grigoriy Oparin (rated 2681), helping secure the team's 20/28 match points and first-place finish. Following the event, Carlsen publicly praised Pranav on social media, tweeting, "Pranav is buddy and buddy is Pranav," highlighting their camaraderie during the tournament. Shifting to puzzle-solving prowess in January 2024, Pranav finished fourth overall at the Puzzles World Championship hosted by , advancing to the semifinals before elimination by . Later that year, in November 2024, Pranav won the Challengers section of the Grand Masters tournament with 5.5/7, clinching the title via a final-round draw against Leon Mendonca and qualifying for the 2025 Masters event. Pranav closed out 2024 with a dominant showing at the FIDE World Youth U-18 Open Rapid and Blitz Championships in Terme Čatež, Slovenia, in December, earning double gold medals. He scored 9.5/11 in the rapid event, finishing half a point clear of the field, and 19.5/22 in the blitz, again taking first place outright.

2025 World Junior Championship

The 2025 FIDE World Junior Chess Championship was held in Petrovac, Montenegro, from February 23 to March 7, featuring an 11-round Swiss-system tournament with 260 players from 67 countries in the open section. Pranav Venkatesh, the second seed and an 18-year-old , won the open section outright with an unbeaten score of 9/11, achieving a tournament performance rating of 2721 and gaining 13.3 points. He secured seven wins, including a crucial Round 7 victory over fourth-seeded Yahli Sokolovsky, which gave him a full-point lead, and drew the final round against Slovenian Matic Lavrencic to clinch the title. Pranav qualified for the event through his strong performances in prior youth competitions, notably winning double gold medals in the Under-18 open rapid and blitz sections at the 2024 FIDE World Youth Chess Championships in Slovenia. This victory marked Pranav as the first Indian to win the open World Junior Championship since in 2008, and the fourth overall, after (1987), (2004), and (2008). Following the win, Pranav's standard rating peaked at 2641 in October 2025, propelling him to world ranking No. 83 among active players as of November 2025. The triumph underscored India's growing dominance in junior chess, with the country producing multiple top-ranked under-20 players and contributing to a surge in overall youth achievements globally.

Achievements in 2025

In September 2025, won the Superstars section of the inaugural Global Chess Championship in the UAE, scoring 7 out of 9 points and gaining approximately 50 rating points. In November 2025, he claimed clear first place at the 8th Salamanca Masters in . At the 2025, Pranav advanced to the fourth round before losing to Uzbek .

References

  1. [1]
    Who is Pranav Venkatesh? Know about the Indian chess ...
    Mar 7, 2025 · Pranav Venkatesh is a well-known Indian chess grandmaster who was born in Bangalore, India, on October 13, 2006. He started playing chess when ...
  2. [2]
    Pranav Venkatesh | Top Chess Players
    GM Pranav Venkatesh, also known as Buddy Pranav, is an Indian chess grandmaster and one of the youngest grandmasters in the world.
  3. [3]
    Exclusive | RCB fan who became a world champion: The story of ...
    Apr 11, 2025 · The 18-year-old from Chennai balances chess with academics and enjoys cricket. He admires Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand. Pranav is ...
  4. [4]
    Pranav V - Liquipedia Chess Wiki
    Nov 1, 2025 · Pranav V (born October 13, 2006) is an Indian chess Grandmaster. Contents. 1 Results; 2 Biography; 3 Gallery; 4 Media; 5 Trivia; 6 References ...
  5. [5]
    The journey of a 10-year-old boy who beat a 2650+ GM!
    Apr 17, 2017 · Pranav Venkatesh is just 10 years old, but already has a live rating of 2233! Born in 2006, he started playing chess at the age of five and a half years.Missing: biography | Show results with:biography
  6. [6]
    Pranav Venkatesh becomes India's 75th Grandmaster
    Aug 22, 2022 · Pranav Venkatesh earned his maiden GM-norm at Serbia Masters 2021. He also became an International Master at the very same event.Missing: vow | Show results with:vow
  7. [7]
    Chennai lad V Pranav becomes India's 75th Grandmaster
    Aug 7, 2022 · Pranav is the 27th Grandmaster from Tamil Nadu, a list that includes the legendary Viswanathan Anand and teen sensations D Gukesh and R ...
  8. [8]
    Calculation whiz, cricket nut: The making of world junior chess ...
    Mar 8, 2025 · Bengaluru: Pranav Venkatesh was five-and-a-half years old when he first laid eyes on an intriguing chess set. He was visiting a relative in ...<|separator|>
  9. [9]
    Father decided not to shave his beard till his son becomes a GM
    Aug 16, 2022 · Meet Venkatesh and Indumathi, the proud parents of India's 75th Grandmaster Pranav V. Pranav became a GM at the age of 16 years.Missing: vow | Show results with:vow
  10. [10]
    ChessBase India - Facebook
    Feb 7, 2018 · Pranav has compromised his schooling with the assistance from Velammal institute. The 11-year old dedicates all of his time to chess. Venkatesh ...
  11. [11]
    Pranav Venkatesh earns his second GM-norm with a 3175 ...
    Jun 25, 2022 · He earned his second GM-norm by scoring seven consecutive victories at Vezerkepzo GM June 2022 with a rating performance of 3175. He also crossed 2500 in the ...
  12. [12]
    Pranav, V FIDE Profile
    Pranav, V ; Title, FIDE PB / Congress, Status ; Grandmaster, 2022 3rd FIDE Council, YES ; International Master, 2021 3rd FIDE Council, YES ...
  13. [13]
    2022 3rd FIDE Council meeting: List of decisions
    2022 3rd FIDE Council meeting. 17 October 2022. List of decisions. CM3-2022/01 To note President's report. CM3-2022/02 To note Treasurer's report.
  14. [14]
    TN boy Pranav becomes India's 75th GM | Chess News
    Aug 7, 2022 · Pranav got his maiden GM norm at the Serbia Open in 2021. He bagged his second GM norm at the Vezerkepzo GM round-robin tournament at Budapest, ...
  15. [15]
    Pranav Venkatesh Golden at World Youth U16 Olympiad 2022 ...
    Oct 11, 2022 · India - Turkiye-Red: 1-3​​ GM Pranav Venkatesh (2530) scored the sole win for the team in the final round. IM Pranesh M (2442), FM Harshad S ( ...
  16. [16]
    Invincible Pranav Venkatesh wins Magnus Academy Challenge ...
    Oct 10, 2022 · GM Pranav Venkatesh scored an unbeaten 38/42 to win Challengers Chess Tour 2022 Magnus Chess Academy Challenge.<|separator|>
  17. [17]
    Astounding Pranav Venkatesh wins Challengers Final Four and ...
    Oct 31, 2022 · This December, India's 75th GM Pranav Venkatesh will battle GM R Praggnanandhaa in a match at Tel Aviv, Israel. Total US$ 10000 prize pot will ...
  18. [18]
    Challengers Chess Tour: Pranav blanks Raunak, to ... - Sportstar
    Oct 31, 2022 · Country's 75 Grandmaster V. Pranav knocked out fancied Raunak Sadhwani 3-0 for the 2022 Challengers Chess Tour online title late on Sunday ...Missing: chess24 | Show results with:chess24
  19. [19]
    Magnus Carlsen wins his first major team event for Offerspill ...
    Oct 8, 2023 · Pranav Venkatesh once again scored a crucial victory in the final round. Aryan Tari redeemed himself from the penultimate round loss.
  20. [20]
    https://sportstar.thehindu.com/chess/pranav-beats-raunak-challenge-praggnanandhaa-challengers-chess-tour-results/article66078827.ece
  21. [21]
    European Club Cup 2023 R6: Pranav Venkatesh saves the day for ...
    Oct 7, 2023 · GM Pranav Venkatesh (2579) scored the sole and crucial victory for Offerspill Sjakklubb against Jorden van Foreest (2707).
  22. [22]
    Ray Robson Wins 5th Consecutive Puzzles World Championship Title
    Jan 12, 2024 · GM Ray Robson did it again, winning his fifth consecutive title at the 2024 Puzzles World Championship.<|separator|>
  23. [23]
    Aravindh Chithambaram ascends 2nd Chennai Grand Masters with a photo finish, Arjun Erigaisi third - ChessBase India
    ### Summary of Challengers Section and Pranav V's Performance
  24. [24]
    Aravindh Wins 2024 Chennai Grand Masters Through Tiebreak
    Nov 12, 2024 · GM Aravindh Chithambaram emerged as the winner of the 2024 Chennai Grand Masters after tying for first place with GMs Levon Aronian and Arjun Erigaisi.
  25. [25]
    Pranav Venkatesh clinches double Gold at World Youth Under-18 ...
    Dec 17, 2024 · GM Pranav Venkatesh scored 9.5/11 to clinch Gold at FIDE World Youth Under-18 Open Rapid 2024. He finished a half point ahead of the field.
  26. [26]
    Pranav and Shukhman win 2025 World Junior Championship ... - FIDE
    Mar 7, 2025 · Indian Grandmaster and second seed Pranav Venkatesh (pictured below, right) emerged as the winner in the open section. He delivered an impressive 9/11 score.
  27. [27]
    Pranav and Shukhman are the 2025 world junior champions
    Mar 8, 2025 · More glory for Indian chess. Grandmaster Pranav Venkatesh emerged victorious in the open section, securing the gold medal with an unbeaten score ...
  28. [28]
    Double gold for Grandmaster Pranav Venkatesh at youth World ...
    Dec 18, 2024 · Grandmaster Pranav Venkatesh dominated the FIDE World Youth Under-18 Open Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships, securing double gold in Slovenia.
  29. [29]
    Pranav Venkatesh becomes World Junior Chess Champion
    Mar 8, 2025 · Grandmaster Pranav Venkatesh became the World Junior Chess Champion 2025 in the open section in Petrovac, Montenegro, on Friday.Missing: VBS | Show results with:VBS