‘I never thought I was in any danger': GM Divya Deshmukh on why she did not feel any pressure playing Koneru Humpy in World Cup final
'I never thought I was in any danger. I guess that the last blunder which she (Humpy) made, handed me the win. Since I had no results in my hand, so I was just trying to focus on my performance and wasn't thinking about anything else,' said Divya, who entered the event as an underdog aiming to win a Grandmaster norm and ended up becoming a GM,' Divya told PTI Videos.
Divya, who secured a spot in next year's candidates after this win, said that she hoped that her victory will inspire parents to let more women pursue chess.
'I am hoping that women will take up the sport in a big way after this success, especially youngsters, and they start dreaming that nothing is impossible. I don't have a message for the young generation but for their parents and that is they should wholeheartedly support their children because they need them more during their failures, not so much in success,' added Divya.
On her arrival at the airport on Wednesday night, Divya had credited her success to her parents.
'My parents have played the biggest role in my career. Without them I would not have reached here. Credit to my family, my parents, my sister, and my first coach, Rahul Joshi sir. He always wanted me to become the Grandmaster, and this is for him,' said Divya, about Joshi, who died in 2020 at just 40 years of age.
'My mother and father had a bigger role to play but definitely my whole family, my sister Arya Deshmukh, my grandmother, grandfather…I don't think whatever I will say will be enough (for my parents).'
(With agency inputs)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
7 hours ago
- The Hindu
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya felicitates FIDE Women's World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh
Divya Deshmukh, the newly crowned Women's chess World Cup champion, was felicitated by the Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday. Grandmaster Koneru Humpy, who had finished runner-up to Divya, joined online from her home for the felicitation. 'Grandmasters like you serve as inspiration for the new generation. More youngsters will take to sports, especially a mind game like chess,' said the Sports Minister. Applauding Humpy on her long innings in the game, Mandaviya said, 'I have read about Humpy and know that she has inspired many in her journey. I remember going home and watching her games with my children'. The 19-year-old Divya, who hails from Nagpur, acknowledged the felicitation with commendable maturity. ALSO READ | Divya Deshmukh enters top-15 in rankings after World Cup win 'I am very happy that the title has come to India. Humpy played very well, and I was lucky. Today, I feel very happy to be felicitated by the Sports Minister. This motivates athletes and gives youngsters the message that they have the support of the country,' said Divya. 'It was a long and exhausting tournament. I am happy that I was able to play till the end. With two players of different generations competing in the final from India, we ensured that the title for our country,' said Humpy.
NDTV
7 hours ago
- NDTV
Divya Deshmukh Hopes Her Chess World Cup Win 'Motivates And Inspires Lot Of Young Girls'
FIDE Women's World Cup gold medallist, who also became the 88th Grandmaster of the country and 4th Indian woman to become a Grand Master Divya Deshmukh, believes her run at the tournament was a 'test of resilience' and hopes it motivates young girls to dream and achieve more on a global level. Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment, Mansukh Mandaviya, felicitated Divya and her final opponent, Koneru Humpy in New Delhi on Friday. "I think this tournament has been the biggest task of resilience, and also it was such a long event, so it definitely tested my physical and emotional stamina and also how to handle my nerves in the crucial moments. "It (resiliency) is definitely one of the things that has helped me come this far; that and always always fighting to the end because I think that even in this tournament that has helped me a lot," Divya told IANS. The 19-year-old Divya stunned the chess world by winning the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025, becoming the first Indian woman to claim the prestigious title. In the all-Indian final, Divya defeated legendary compatriot Koneru Humpy 1.5-0.5 in the rapid tiebreaks on Monday to script a fairytale ending. "I would say it definitely helped chess in India and I'm hoping that it becomes motivation and inspiration for a lot of young girls that are out there and they are watching and are having big dreams, so I hope that they know that they can achieve them. I think it will hopefully play a small part," she added. The classical games played in the final had ended in tense draws, with both players showcasing resilience and elite-level play. But the tie-breaks were where the young sensation flipped the script. After the first rapid game ended in a draw, the second saw Humpy crack under time pressure, making critical blunders that Divya pounced on. With nerves of steel, Divya closed out the win to become the 2025 Women's World Cup champion, the fourth Indian woman to earn the Grandmaster title, and the country's 88th GM overall. "It has been very overwhelming coming to India seeing so much love from people, so much support from people. It has been really nice. It has been quite an exhausting trip and also an exhausting few days, but I don't think my heart could be any happier," she concluded. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
News18
8 hours ago
- News18
Divya Deshmukh On Lifting FIDE World Cup: 'Happy That Title Has Come To India'
Last Updated: Teenaged sensation Divya Deshmukh expressed her joy after winning the Women's World Cup, defeating Koneru Humpy in an all-Indian final and was felicitated by Sports Minister. Teenaged chess sensation Divya Deshmukh expressed her 'biggest joy" on Friday, stating that more than her victory in the Women's World Cup earlier this week, she was thrilled that the trophy came to India. The 19-year-old Divya defeated her senior compatriot Koneru Humpy in an all-Indian final at Batumi, Georgia, on Monday, making her the youngest chess player to win the Women's World Cup. 'I am very happy that the title has come to India. Koneru played very well but I was lucky that I won. For me, the biggest joy was in knowing that no matter who won, the title would come to India," said Divya, who was felicitated by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya here. 'I feel so happy to be felicitated by Hon'ble Minister because this motivates athletes and gives youngsters the message that they have the support of the country. 'I also want to thank Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Sports Ministry for the constant support to chess. Sustained encouragement of this kind will help the game grow in the country," she added. Divya, who hails from Nagpur, triumphed over Humpy in a tense tie-break after two drawn classical games. During the event, she secured her first GM norm and defeated top players like Zhu Jiner, Dronavalli Harika, and Tan Zhongyi. 'Grandmasters like you will serve as inspiration for the new generation. More youngsters will take interest in sports, especially a mind sport like chess. Chess may be considered one of India's gifts to the world, and has been played since ancient times," Mandaviya said. 'I firmly believe that many daughters of India will rise in the world by drawing inspiration from both of you." Discussing Humpy's contribution to the sport, the minister said, 'I know that she has inspired many in her journey. She has played a long and distinguished innings. I remember going home and watching her games with my children." He emphasised that the central government is not merely supporting sports on paper but ensuring deep and structured support on the ground. 'A roadmap has been prepared to that effect. Several reforms will be seen in the coming days. Just last month, we had the announcement of the Khelo Bharat Niti. Now, a National Sports Governance Bill will be considered in Parliament to bring about good governance in sports. After its passage and implementation, the nation will witness further growth in sports development." Divya became the 88th Grandmaster from India and the fourth Indian woman to become a GM. 'It was a very long and exhaustive tournament and I am happy that I was able to play till the end. India dominated the finals with chess players from two generations facing each other, and the title came to India," said Humpy, who became a GM at the age of 15 in 2002, joining the ceremony virtually. view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: August 01, 2025, 20:49 IST News sports Divya Deshmukh On Lifting FIDE World Cup: 'Happy That Title Has Come To India' 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.
