Priyadharshan Kannappan

In this Indian name, the name Kannappan is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Priyadharshan.

Priyadharshan Kannappan
Country	India
Born	(1993-12-01) 1 December 1993 (age 31) Madurai, India
Title	Grandmaster (2016) [1]
FIDE   rating	2553 (August 2025)
Peak rating	2554 (August 2018)

Priyadharshan Kannappan (born 1 December 1993) is an Indian chess grandmaster, FIDE Trainer, ^[2] Author, ^[3] and entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of Chess Gaja Private Limited, ^[4] a global online chess academy that trains hundreds of students across multiple countries. Known for his academic rigor, competitive accomplishments, and innovative contributions to online chess education, Kannappan has been a consistent force in the chess world both on and off the board.

Early Life and Education Chess Career

Priyadharshan was born in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. He learned chess at the age of 6 and quickly became one of India’s most promising junior players. He moved to the United States in 2012 to pursue higher education from Lindenwood University and further his chess knowledge. That same year, he was named as the U.S. Chess League's MVP. ^[5]

He completed his undergraduate degree in marketing from Lindenwood University, where he was also part of their collegiate chess team. He then earned a master’s degree in management, leadership, and business analytics from Webster University, one of the strongest collegiate chess programs in the U.S. At Webster, he trained under GM Susan Polgar and contributed to the team's national championship wins. ^[6]

In 2016, he achieved his final GM norm by defeating Vera Gonzalez in the Philadelphia International. ^[7]

In July 2022, Priyadharshan coached the Brazilian team for the 44th Chess Olympiad on the recommendation of his fellow Webster University graduate and grandmaster André Diamant. ^[8]

Notable Students and Programs

• Multiple students trained under Chess Gaja have achieved top-100 rankings in their USCF age categories. ^[9]
• Priyadharshan also designs programs for adult improvers, ^[10] particularly working professionals seeking mental fitness through chess.

Personal life

Priyadharshan got his undergraduate degree in marketing from Lindenwood University and his master's degree in management, leadership, and business analytics from Webster University. ^[11] During his time at Webster, he had also managed the university's chess team. ^[12]

In June 2021, he started an online chess academy called Chess Gaja. ^[13]

References

1. "FIDE Title Application (GM)" (PDF).
2. "Discover Chess Gaja: Premier Online Chess Classes for all ages". Chess Gaja Academy Website. 7 March 2022.
3. Kannappan, Priyadharshan (30 January 2020). The Modernized Berlin Wall Defense. Belgium: Thinkers Publishing. ISBN   978-9492510662.
4. "Chess Coaching for All Levels - Learn Online with Chess Gaja". Chess Gaja Academy.
5. "Lindenwood Chess Team Surprises Yale with 5.5 to 4.5 Win". 12 November 2012.
6. "Webster Alumnus Opens Successful Online Chess Academy in India". news.webster.edu. Webster University. 6 April 2022.
7. Shah, Sagar (8 April 2017). "GM K.Priyadharshan on pursuing chess and education in USA (2/2)".
8. "Chess Olympiad: Tamil Nadu Grandmaster Priyadharshan Kannappan in charge of Brazil". The Times of India. 8 July 2022.
9. "9 Chess Gaja Students Achieve USCF TOP 100 Rank on April 2025". Chess Gaja Academy. 22 April 2025.
10. "Corporate Chess Solutions: Elevate your Business Strategy". Chess Gaja Corporate Page. 30 November 2022.
11. "A grandmaster opening idea in the Pirc / Modern". 10 February 2018.
12. Rathi, Devanshi (20 December 2018). "A Grandmaster in Chess and Academics: In Conversation with Priyadharshan Kannappan".
13. "Webster Alumnus Opens Successful Online Chess Academy in India". 6 April 2022.