Explanation:

This question is time-sensitive. Abhijit Kunte and Krishnan Sasikiran both became Grandmasters in 2000, and P. Harikrishna in 2001. D.B. Prasad is an International Master. In the late 1990s, all three (Kunte, Sasikiran, Harikrishna) were considered rising stars and were 'close' to achieving the Grandmaster title. Sasikiran, having achieved it in 2000, was certainly among those on the verge.