Divya Deshmukh Arrives To Grand Reception, Credits Women's Chess World Cup Win To Her Family
Divya had entered the tournament as an underdog aiming to achieve a GM-norm but returned home with the Grandmaster title, besides securing a spot in the Candidates and becoming richer by USD 50,000.
"I am feeling very happy that so many people have come to felicitate me, and chess is getting the recognition," said Divya, who flew from Batumi to Mumbai and then took a flight to her hometown Nagpur, accompanied by her mother.
Divya received a grand reception in Nagpur, with her relatives and fans arriving much in advance to receive her.
"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 passed away 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)." Divya also reserved special praise for GM Abhijit Kunte, saying he was lucky for her.
"Abhijit sir is lucky for me. Wherever he has been with me, I have won the trophy," she said.
Elaborating on her future plans, Divya said she would take a break and then compete in the Grand Swiss, to be held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan from September 2-16.
"I will take some rest this month and will play Grand Swiss next month."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
'Storm only rattles those who arent ready': Gill on Indias series draw against England
London [UK], August 4 (ANI): Indian skipper Shubman Gill and vice-captain Rishabh Pant expressed happiness with their team's performances during the recently concluded tour to England and took to their social media to voice out their joy. Both Gill and Pant had a record-breaking series in England as they both fired a massive volume of runs with the bat, ensuring that Indian cricket is in the safe hands following the retirements of stars like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin. Taking to Instagram, Gill had a message for his doubters following a 'Player of the Series' performance, saying, "The storm only rattles those who aren't ready for it." During the series, Gill emerged as the leading run-getter, indeed manifesting his aim to be the "best batter of the series" into reality, with 774 runs in 10 innings at an average of 75.40, with four centuries and a best score of 269. He scored his centuries in a variety of situations, coming into the series with the pressure of performing well outside Asia being heavy on his shoulders, having not crossed the 40-run mark outside Asia since the 91-run knock at Brisbane against Australia in 2021. With a mountain-like volume of runs, Gill tore into cricketing record books like no one did and silenced his critics in style. As a captain, much of his tactical brilliance led to India dominating all the Test matches for significant periods and ensuring they were decided on the final day. Also, vice-captain Pant, who broke numerous records as an Indian/Asian wicketkeeper-batter in South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia (SENA) conditions, posted that the tour "asked a lot and gave even more in return". "A tour that asked a lot and gave even more in return. Proud of how this team stood up, adapted and kept fighting. Representing the country means everything to us; it takes everything out of you, but we take pride in that. Big thanks to our incredible support staff and the fans who stood by us throughout. This team is hungry, united and here to take Indian cricket forward," he posted. While Pant did not play the fifth Test due to a foot injury, he still ended up as the sixth-highest run-getter with 479 runs in four matches and seven innings at an average of 68.42, with two centuries and three fifties. His best score was 134. One of the biggest moments of the series saw him walk out to bat despite an injured foot during the fourth Manchester Test, in a show of remarkable courage, determination, and a will to do everything to get the country over the finishing line. He delivered a valuable half-century, which added much-needed runs to India's total, helping them draw the match eventually. After England opted to bowl first, they reduced India to 153/6. A 58-run partnership between Karun Nair (57 in 109 balls, with eight fours) and Washington Sundar (26 in 55 balls, with three fours) was the most meaningful part of the inning as India was bundled out for 224 runs. Apart from Gus Atkinson's five-wicket haul, Josh Tongue (3/57) was also good. In the second innings, four-fers from Siraj (4/86) and Prasidh Krishna (4/62) reduced England to 247, despite a 92-run opening stand between Zak Crawley (64 in 57 balls, with 14 fours) and Ben Duckett (43 in 38 balls, with five fours and two sixes) and a fifty by Harry Brook (53 in 64 balls, with five fours and a six). They led by 23 runs. In India's second innings, key contributions came from Yashasvi Jaiswal (118 in 164 balls, with 14 fours and two sixes), Akash Deep (66 in 94 balls, with 12 fours), Ravindra Jadeja (53 in 77 balls, with five fours) and Washington Sundar (53 in 46 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes). Sundar stitched a very crucial 10th wicket stand with Krishna, with the latter scoring nothing out of it and Sundar doing all the hitting. They all took India to 396 runs, giving them a 373-run lead and setting a target of 374 runs for England to win the series. India started well, reducing England to 106/3. However, fine centuries from Harry Brook (111 in 98 balls, with 14 fours and two sixes) and Joe Root (105 in 152 balls, with 12 fours) troubled India with a 195-run stand for the fourth wicket. At one point, England was 317/4 on day four. However, a late surge by Siraj (5/104) and Krishna (4/126) shifted the pressure to England, and they were left six runs short, bundled out for 367 runs.
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
India beat England by 6 runs in 5th Test at Oval, Top court raps Rahul Gandhi's China remark, more
8:30 In an exclusive interview with Rajdeep Sardesai, Mohammed Ismail, brother of Mohammed Siraj, spoke about the Indian pacer's relentless 'never die' attitude - shaped in the streets of Hyderabad - and his rise from tennis-ball cricket to the highest level of the game.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
2 hours ago
- First Post
'We're disappointed': Ben Stokes after England crumbled under pressure against India at The Oval
England had the victory in sight at The Oval but Indian bowlers delivered a clutch performance to snitch the victory from the grip of the hosts. India won the match by six runs. read more England were 'disappointed and frustrated' at not winning the intensely-fought five-match Test series against India but the 2-2 result was 'probably fair', feels home team captain Ben Stokes. I ndia beat England by six runs in the final Test here to draw the series. The visitors made a remarkable fightback on the final morning on Monday, picking up the remaining four England wickets quickly to bowl the hosts out for 367. Stokes did not play the final Test at the Oval due to a shoulder injury. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'I think the series as a whole even before this game, it was just all four games going to five days. This one again. It's been toe to toe pretty for 25 days. You know, two teams, two very good teams who have thrown everything at each other. Left nothing out there,' Stokes said. 'From a cricket fan's point of view 2-2 is probably fair. Obviously, we're disappointed now to have not got the result that we wanted to give us a series win, there's obviously that disappointment and a little bit of frustration there as well from everyone.' He felt the fiercely-fought series was a 'fantastic' advert of Test cricket. 'But as a massive advocate of this format and Test cricket as a whole, this has certainly been one of those series that could hopefully keep off that narrative around Test cricket is dying. As an advocate of the game the series has been fantastic to be part of.' On the partnership between England second innings centurions Joe Root and Harry Brook which raised hopes of an England victory, Stokes said, 'Yeah 380 is obviously a very large total to try and chase down but as the game got deeper and deeper, the way that the wicket was playing completely changed from day one and day two. 'So we knew that if any of our lads were to get in it was going to give us a good chance. Harry got us into that position by playing a particular way, putting the Indian bowlers under the immense pressure to take them away from being able to consistently bowl the areas that they wanted to bowl. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'I'm sure everyone was applauding him when he bought up his 100 in the way that he did. Some of the shots he played were unbelievable. So, yeah, the dismissal and the way that he got out was a shot that we seen a lot of him do in that innings, which I'm sure was getting a lot of praise.' Tailender Chris Woakes came out to bat despite a fractured left arm, tied up and strapped, and Stokes termed it 'unbelievable'. 'It was never going to be a question for him to go out there. He was in a lot of discomfort running between the wickets there, but we've had Rishab up going out and back with a broken foot, Bash (Bashir) going out there bowling and batting fielding with a broken finger,' the skipper said. 'Then we go to Chris out there today trying and get his team over the line with the quite recently dislocated shoulder. That just goes back to how much energy and effort that's been put into the series by both teams. Everyone's left a lot out on the ground for their countries, the series, definitely.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
