Meet Divya Deshmukh, The Teenage WGM Making Waves On The Global Stage
Deshmukh added yet another accolade to her growing list of achievements as she moved into the final of the FIDE Women's World Cup in Georgia on Wednesday.
Divya Deshmukh etched her name in the long annals of Indian chess history as she moved into the final of the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 with her triumph over Zhongyi Tan in the semifinal, thus becoming the first teenager in over three decades to secure a place in the summit clash of the prestigious event.
The 19-year-old from Nagpur also enjoyed a stunning run to the final as she eliminated second seed, Zhu Jiner of China, before defeating her experienced compatriot and India's No. 2, Harika Dronavalli, in the quarterfinals.
Born into a Marathi family, the daughter of doctors Jitendra and Namratha Deshmukh, Divya, attended Bhavans Bhagwandas Purohit Vidya Mandir and took to the chequered board early. Her father taught her the basics of the game when the youngester was all of five years old, and she took it to like a swan to water as she went on to clinch her first national title at the tender age of seven. Her rise, there on out, has been nothing short of phenomenal.
Deshmukh's current ELO rating reads 2463, while her peak rating of 2501 dating back to October of last year, serving as a fair indicator of the incredible talent the teenager possesses.
Divya became India's 21st Woman Grandmaster in the year 2021 and won the 2022 Women's Indian Chess Championship. She earned an individual bronze medal at the 2022 Chess Olympiad and played a crucial role in India's gold medal victory at the 2020 FIDE Online Olympiad. As of December 2024, she is ranked No. 2 among Indian women chess players.
Divya clinched the Asian Women's Chess Championship in Almaty in 2023 and won the women's rapid section of the Tata Steel India Chess Tournament, defeating top players such as Harika Dronavalli and Koneru Humpy.
She triumphed at the Sharjah Challengers in 2024, followed by a historic win at the FIDE World U20 Girls Championship in June, becoming only the fourth Indian to achieve this title. She finished with an impressive score of 10/11 after a decisive final-round victory.
At the 2025 World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships in London, Divya played a key role for Hexamind Chess Club, securing silver in the rapid team event and bronze in the blitz team event. A standout moment came in the blitz semifinal, where she defeated world No. 1 Hou Yifan in an exciting 74-move game.
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
New Indian Express
an hour 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
an hour 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.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
‘Don't judge him on one game': RP Singh defends Kamboj
Lucknow: Former Indian left-arm pacer Rudra Pratap Singh has backed Anshul Kamboj, who made his India debut at Old Trafford in the Anderson-Tendulkar Test series, as a future pace partner for Mohammad Siraj , despite the youngster managing just one wicket and failing to impress in his first outing. Speaking to TOI, RP Singh said Kamboj is a very talented bowler and urged the selectors not to judge him based on a single performance. "He will be a wonderful addition to the bowling attack in the future, as I have personally watched him in the domestic circuit. He didn't do well in his debut match because he had been traveling with the India 'A' team in the UK and didn't get any rest before being asked to play. That affected his performance. " RP also spoke highly of Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh. "They are both hugely talented and will soon be seen playing regularly for India in all formats." RP also cautioned the Indian team management to manage Mohammad Siraj's workload carefully. "At the moment, his body is fit and he's bowling well, but he needs to be cautious. Bumrah and Siraj are assets to Team India and must be taken care of very well," he told TOI. When asked whether the Indian team is missing a left-arm pacer in the bowling attack and if Arshdeep should have been given a chance, RP, himself a former left-arm quick, said, "100% he has to be given a chance. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Top 20 Breathtaking Blue Flag Beaches You Must Visit Learn More Undo He can swing the ball both ways, and he has developed his pace as well. I'm sure at some point, he's going to be part of the playing eleven." On Kuldeep Yadav not getting a single Test in England, RP said: "The Indian team perhaps decided to strengthen the batting department and therefore added a number of all-rounders to the squad. Kuldeep could have played all five Test matches, but the team management wanted a deeper batting lineup and opted for Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja, who are definitely better batters." RP also praised the UPT20 league, noting that around 18–20 UP players featured in IPL 2025 and four are currently part of the Indian squad across formats. "The UPT20 league is a platform that helps youngsters showcase their talent. Players like Vipraj Nigam, Zeeshan Ansari, Dhruv Jurel, and Aryan Juyal have proved themselves. Around 160 players have participated in the UP league, and 100 of them have been noticed by various scouts and franchises, which is a very positive sign for UP cricket," he concluded. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Raksha Bandhan wishes , messages and quotes !
