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Time of India
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Divya Deshmukh receives grand welcome in Nagpur after historic Chess World Cup win
Divya Deshmukh (Image credit: Special arrangements) Nagpur was gripped by celebration as the city welcomed home its newest sporting icon — Divya Deshmukh — fresh off her historic triumph at the FIDE Women's World Chess Cup 2025 held in Batumi, Georgia. The 19-year-old sensation etched her name in the history books by defeating compatriot and seasoned campaigner Koneru Humpy in a dramatic tie-break final on Monday, marking the biggest achievement of her young career. With this monumental win, Divya not only lifted the prestigious World Cup trophy but also achieved the elusive Grandmaster title — a milestone that had once seemed a distant dream at the start of the tournament. She now becomes only the fourth Indian woman to attain the Grandmaster title, and the 88th Indian overall, joining an elite list that includes Koneru Humpy, Dronavalli Harika, and R Vaishali. The final showdown was tightly contested. After two classical games played over the weekend ended in draws, the match was pushed into Monday's tie-breaks. Playing with the white pieces in the first rapid game, Divya was held to a draw once again. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like See Why Everyone Is Talking About DAYMADE DAYMADE Play Now Undo But in the reverse fixture, wielding the black pieces, she held her nerve and defeated the two-time World Rapid Champion with a final score of 2.5-1.5. Her breakthrough comes at a time when Indian men's chess is enjoying unprecedented global success, led by names like D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, and Arjun Erigaisi. Divya's win signals a powerful resurgence in Indian women's chess and adds momentum to the country's rising dominance on the global chess stage. By reaching the final, Deshmukh has also secured a spot in the 2026 Candidates Tournament, which will determine the challenger for China's reigning world champion Ju Wenjun in the Women's World Championship. An emotional Divya couldn't hold back tears after her triumph over Humpy — an opponent twice her age — whose resilience made the win all the more meaningful for the determined teenager. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
News18
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Divya Deshmukh Receives A Hero's Welcome Back In Nagpur After Historic World Cup Win: WATCH
Divya made history by becoming the first Indian champion of tthe FIDE Women's World Cup, defeating Koneru Humpy 2.5-1.5. She also became India's 88th Grandmaster. It was nothing short of a champion's celebration in Nagpur on Wednesday night, as the newly-crowned GM Divya Deshmukh made her way back home after her historic outing at the FIDE Women's World Cup. Divya etched her name into chess history, defeating fellow Indian compatriot Koneru Humpy with a score of 2.5-1.5 in the tiebreaks of the FIDE Women's World Cup Final to become the first-ever Indian champion of the esteemed tournament on Monday. 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 received $50,000 as prize money on top of the coveted trophy. But, most importantly, with her win, she earned the nod to become a Grandmaster — thereby becoming India's 88th GM in chess history. She now also holds the title of Grandmaster, only the fourth Indian woman to do so, joining her opponent on the day, Humpy, Dronavalli Harika, and R Vaishali. Usually, becoming a GM requires a player to win three GM norms and achieve a Standard (Classical) FIDE rating of 2500 or above. However, players can also do it by winning certain elite competitions, including the FIDE Women's World Cup. An emotional Divya couldn't hold back her tears following her victory, as she reflected on her journey to becoming a GM. 'I need time to process it (win). I think it was fate, me getting the Grandmaster title this way, because before this (tournament) I didn't even have one (GM) norm, and now I am the Grandmaster," she said after the match. 'It definitely means a lot, but there's a lot more to achieve. So, hopefully, this is just the start." 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." top videos View all With her win, Divya also secured a spot in next year's Candidates tournament, which will decide who will take on world champion Ju Wenjun of China in the Women's World Championship. (with PTI inputs) News18 Sports brings you the latest updates, live commentary, and highlights from cricket, football, tennis, badmintion, wwe and more. Catch breaking news, live scores, and in-depth coverage. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Chess chess news divya deshmukh FIDE FIDE world cup view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 30, 2025, 23:27 IST News sports Divya Deshmukh Receives A Hero's Welcome Back In Nagpur After Historic World Cup Win: WATCH 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.
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Business Standard
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Maharashtra cabinet honours Divya Deshmukh for world chess title win
In a statement on Monday, Fadnavis said Divya Deshmukh has inscribed the state's name in golden letters on the international chess board Press Trust of India Mumbai The Maharashtra cabinet has passed a resolution congratulating Divya Deshmukh on being the youngest chess player to win the Women's Chess World Cup. The resolution was moved on Tuesday in the cabinet, headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and comprising Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar and other ministers. Divya Deshmukh, the 19-year-old player from Nagpur, became the youngest to win the Women's World Cup on Monday as she outwitted the seasoned Koneru Humpy in the tie-breaker of an all-Indian final in Batumi, Georgia. CM Fadnavis on Monday announced the Maharashtra government will felicitate the newly crowned Grandmaster on her stellar achievement. "It is a moment of great joy that Nagpur and Maharashtra girl Divya Deshmukh has won the Women's World Cup and earned the Grandmaster title as well. She is the youngest chess player to win the prestigious international title," he said. In a statement on Monday, Fadnavis said Divya Deshmukh has inscribed the state's name in golden letters on the international chess board. It was a matter of immense pride that both players in the World Cup final were Indians, he added, while also congratulating Humpy. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Time of India
a day ago
- Sport
- Time of India
'Young Indian girls need to get more training'
**EDS: THIRD PARTY IMAGE** In this image released by FIDE, India's chess players Divya Deshmukh, left, and Koneru Humpy during the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 final match tiebreaks, in Batumi, Georgia. (FIDE/Andrei Anosov via PTI Photo)(PTI07_28_2025_000347B) Nagpur: Twenty-three years after Koneru Humpy achieved the Grandmaster title, becoming one of the youngest — and first Indian — women GMs in 2002, the 38-year-old has been carrying the Indian flag for over two decades. At the Women's Chess World Cup, Humpy secured a silver medal and also confirmed her second successive entry to the 2026 Candidates chess tournament. Though she went down fighting to Divya in a thrilling title clash, the two-time World rapid champion is satisfied with her performance. 'I didn't expect to do well in this knockout tournament considering my age, as the format needs a lot of energy. I am happy that I was able to beat strong players,' Humpy told TOI. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Revealing her trainer's (seconds in chess) name, Humpy said, 'I was able to do well thanks to my second, IM Kushager Krishnater, who has worked hard with sleepless nights.' There are only four women among the 88 Indian GMs. By winning the World Cup, Divya chose the shortest route to become a GM. With 19-yearold Divya joining the elite club of Humpy, D Harika, and R Vaishali, young players will get motivated to pick up the sport. Poll Do you think Koneru Humpy will continue to perform well in future tournaments? Yes, she has proven her skills. No, it's time for new players to shine. Divya's achievement means a lot to Indian women's chess, which had been looking for a worthy successor to Humpy, who is not done yet. Now India has two Candidates, one of whom will look to become the challenger to the world champion in 2026. Humpy said, 'We have a bunch of new generation players, and it's a positive sign that we are growing in the right direction. I think we need to give more training to the young girls to improve further.' Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
United News of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- United News of India
PM Modi congratulates Divya Deshmukh on historic chess victory
New Delhi, July 29 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Indian chess prodigy Divya Deshmukh for her remarkable triumph at the 2025 FIDE Women's World Cup, where she not only clinched the prestigious title but also earned the title of Grandmaster. In a message shared on X, the Prime Minister wrote, 'It's been a phenomenal day for Indian Chess! Divya Deshmukh has not only won the 2025 FIDE Women's World Cup but also become a Grandmaster. Congratulations to her. Her accomplishment will motivate many people and contribute to chess becoming even more popular among the youth.' The 19-year-old Deshmukh defeated seasoned Koneru Humpy in a tense final held in Batumi, Georgia yesterday. With this win, she became the first Indian woman to win the FIDE women's world cup and only the fourth Indian player to attain the Grandmaster title. UNI VAN PRS
