Praveen Balakrishnan is an Indian-American chess player who became an International Master at the age of 13 and temporarily held the record as the youngest person to have ever achieved this title. He later became the youngest American Grandmaster at the age of 15 years, 10 months, and 9 days after his fellow competitor Hans Niemann forfeited due to a COVID-19 scare.
Balakrishnan was born in Kochi, India and emigrated to the United States at a young age. He picked up chess at the age of six and made rapid strides in the game. His multiple achievements include winning the World Chess Federation (FIDE) Online Cadets & Youth Rapid Chess Championships (U14) in 2020, the USCF National High School Blitz (K-12) Championship in 2021, and the National 11th Grade Chess Championship in 2021.
Praveen Balakrishnan is also known for beating multiple strong, established players such as Hikaru Nakamura, Xiong Jeffery, and Ortiz Suarez Isan Reynaldo.