'Maybe It Was Destiny...': Divya Deshmukh Opens Up On Dual Achievement Following Batumi Success
Teenage Indian sensation Divya Deshmukh enjoyed a double delight at the recently concluded FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 as he clinched the top spot, edging out compatriot Humpy Koneru in the championship battle to seal the title and also earn the title of Grandmaster as a result of her impeccable showing in Batumi.
The 19-year-old Deshmukh returned to his hometown, Nagpur, to a hero's welcome with the Chess fraternity uniting to laud her incredible feat at such a tender age.
When quizzed what she was more proud of, the World Cup title or the title of GM, Deshmukh opined that it was a special feeling to achieve both feats simultaneously.
'I think the Grandmaster title is something that would have come eventually, definitely come," she began.
'I don't know when, but it would have," she explained.
'So, can't choose," the genius from Nagpur said.
'Maybe it was destiny that I got both my titles in one shot and the fact that I did not have eve one norm before and now I am a Grandmaster is why I think it was meant to be," Deshmukh said.
Deshmukh made chess history by defeating Humpy with a score of 2.5-1.5 in the tiebreaks of the FIDE Women's World Cup Final on Monday, making her the first-ever Indian champion of the prestigious tournament.
Along with the coveted trophy, Deshmukh received $50,000 in prize money. More importantly, her win granted her the title of Grandmaster, making her India's 88th Grandmaster in chess history.
Deshmukh now holds the Grandmaster title, joining the ranks of only four Indian women to achieve this status, including her opponent Humpy, Dronavalli Harika, and R Vaishali.
Typically, becoming a Grandmaster requires winning three GM norms and achieving a Standard (Classical) FIDE rating of 2500 or higher. However, players can also earn this title by winning certain elite competitions, including the FIDE Women's World Cup.
Deshmukh announced that she would take a break before competing in the Grand Swiss, scheduled to be held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from September 2-16.
view comments
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: 5 SCD Government College alumni, including skipper Palpreet Singh, in Indian basketball squad
Palpreet Singh, a 32-year-old alumnus of SCD Government College, Ludhiana, is captaining the Indian basketball team at the ongoing FIBA Asia Cup 2025 in Saudi Arabia. The tournament, showcasing Asia's basketball talent, commenced on August 5 and will conclude on August 17. Palpreet Singh (HT Photo) Palpreet's journey began at the age of 13 when he joined the Ludhiana Basketball Academy (LBA) at Guru Nanak Stadium. Though he briefly quit just after three months, he returned to the court in 2010. Later, he completed his Bachelor of Arts from SCD College in 2015. Teja Singh Dhaliwal, general secretary of Punjab Basketball Association, recalled Palpreet's early days. 'He hails from Doda village in Muktsar Sahib and was trained under coach S Subramaniam at LBA. He is the fourth LBA player to captain the national team — a proud achievement for Punjab basketball.' Palpreet made headlines in 2016 when he was drafted in the fourth round of the NBA D-League tryouts by the Long Island Nets, becoming only the second Indian after Satnam Singh Bhamra — also an LBA alumnus — to reach that milestone. Currently employed with Indian Railways, he has represented India internationally for over 15 years, featuring in three Asia Cups, an Asian Games, and tournaments in Japan, the USA, and Canada. Speaking from Saudi Arabia ahead of India's upcoming clash against the host nation on Saturday, Palpreet said, 'It has been an incredible journey. I have given everything to this game.' Remarkably, four of Palpreet's teammates — Sahaij Pratap Singh Sekhon, Kanwar Gurbaz Singh, Arvinder Singh Kahlon, and Princepal Singh Bajwa — are also alumni of SCD College and LBA. Their college coach, Amarpreet Kaur, expressed pride in their achievements: 'They trained relentlessly, often beyond college hours. Their dedication has taken them to the international stage.' India has played two matches so far — a narrow 91-84 loss to Jordan and a 100-69 defeat to China. Sahaij Sekhon was India's top scorer against China, putting up 14 points. The team now eyes a crucial win in their upcoming group-stage matches.
New Indian Express
2 hours ago
- New Indian Express
ISL clubs threaten to take legal action if AIFF fail to take constitution case to SC
CHENNAI: IN a dramatic turn of events, the Indian Super League clubs have shot a letter to the All India Football Federation and threatened legal recourse to safeguard the league and the sport. This was a day after the ISL clubs met the AIFF officials including its president Kalyan Chaubey at the headquarters in New Delhi on Thursday. Despite assurances by the AIFF, the 11 ISL clubs except Mohun Bagan Super Giant and East Bengal, sent the letter asking the national body to expedite the process of bringing an end to the impasse. Because of the uncertainty of the ISL, two teams have discontinued payments for their players and one club even paused its operations. The ISL clubs have urged the AIFF to approach the Supreme Court, where the case on AIFF's constitution and other governance issues are pending, and request them for urgent hearing. The letter has pointed out that, "This legal uncertainty and administrative vacuum are now threatening to cause irreversible damage to the Indian football ecosystem." The letter further said: "Clubs are unable to plan or invest, commercial contracts are on hold, and the livelihoods of thousands of players, staff, support personnel, and stakeholders are at immediate risk. Moreover, this situation could seriously derail the momentum of football development in the country at a time when there is a national push towards sport and Olympic competitiveness."
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Raksha Bandhan 2025: How rakhis and love shaped Harbhajan Singh's longest innings
From stadium cheers to family laughter in Jalandhar, former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh says one thing has never changed — the love of his five sisters. For the prolific off-spinner, Raksha Bandhan has always been a special occasion, no matter where cricket took him. Harbhajan Singh talks about his memories with his sisters. 'I love the occasion,' he says at the outset. 'By God's grace, I have five sisters, and ever since I was a kid, it was a special occasion. My entire aim used to be to ensure that my hand looked full with rakhis — and I requested all my sisters to get big rakhis, so they would solve the purpose,' adds Harbhajan. The 45-year-old credits much of his long cricketing career to their support. 'One of the biggest reasons I played so long for India is because of my family… even when I was not in the best of forms, they would help me overcome those times,' he recalls, remembering the emotional hugs after India's 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup wins. His elder sister Bakshish Kaur says pampering their only brother came naturally . 'He really loved to see his arms full of rakhis, so we used to get big- big rakhis for him,' she laughs addint that she is proud of the heights achieved by her brother. 'Even today, we can't put into words how proud we are of him,' she says. Even when matches kept him away from home during the festival, Harbhajan tied every rakhi sent to him and made sure to share pictures with his sisters. Now, he marks the day with his children, passing on the same values he grew up with. 'I want to teach my son that not just brothers, but even sisters can take care of their brothers — just like mine did,' he says.
