Latest news with #HarikaDronavalli
Time of India
13 minutes ago
- Health
- Time of India
'No support in male-dominated society': Divya Deshmukh becomes India's 4th female GM, but why aren't there more?
GM Divya Deshmukh, GM Vaishali R, GM Harika D, and GM Koneru Humpy (left to right) NEW DELHI: In a nation of over 1.5 billion people, every milestone carries weight. However, some triumphs go beyond personal accomplishments as they shed light on uncomfortable truths. Divya Deshmukh's recent victory at the FIDE Women's World Cup was one such moment. At just 18, the Nagpur-born became India's 88th Grandmaster (GM), joining an elite club that represents the pinnacle of chess achievement across the globe. But hidden behind the applause and accolades lies a sobering fact: Divya is only the fourth woman from India to earn that tag. In a country with one of the world's fastest-growing chess ecosystems, why have only four women made it to the top, while more than 80 men have done so? The disparity is not just statistical; it's symptomatic of a deeper issue. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! For GM Harika Dronavalli, the road to success began with something deceptively simple. 'I was introduced to chess at a young age by my family, and while I enjoyed it, the moment that truly sparked my drive was seeing a rolling trophy being awarded to the winner of a local tournament,' Harika, who began her chess journey at the age of seven, tells . 'That stayed with me. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Urologists: What 90% Of Men With ED Don't Know (Start Doing This) Health Paradise Learn More I wanted to win one myself. The following year, I went on to win the National Championship in my age category. That victory changed everything.' That change set her on a journey that led to global recognition, but it wasn't always easy. 'Back then, chess didn't get as much public attention or sponsorship support,' she recalls. 'It was hard to sustain motivation. The respect that young players receive today was much harder to come by when I was starting out.' Chess player Harika Dronavalli (R) (Photo by Salah Malkawi/ Getty Images) Yet Harika is quick to clarify that her struggles were not always gender-specific. 'I wouldn't say I faced challenges that were specifically because of my gender. I've been fortunate in that regard,' she explains. 'But girls are not pushed to pursue ambitious goals in the same way boys are. That's a reality. The talent is certainly there, but societal expectations often clip those wings early. If we nurture aspirations from a young age and provide the right support system, coaching, competition, and confidence, we'll start to see that gap close. ' GM Srinath Narayanan, a coach and one of the country's most respected chess minds, has spent years working with India's top players, both men and women. When asked why India has only four female GMs, his response is both clear and layered. 'There are several interrelated reasons. Chess, like many other fields, reflects broader societal patterns. Girls in India often face more pressure to prioritise academics or domestic responsibilities over sports. Also, chess demands sustained investment: time, travel, coaching, and families may hesitate to support girls long-term in such a career,' he says. "There is a noticeable drop-off after the age of 13-15, when many promising girl players slow down or quit. Safety concerns during travel, and even during training also put girls at a disadvantage. Srinath Narayanan 'From a very young age, boys compete in stronger open pools with other boys, while girls compete in a weaker pool with other girls. That has long-term consequences. Competing in a weaker field limits their growth. The women who've gone on to break these shackles often compete in open sections from a very young age. But that's not an easy decision. Being the best woman player in the world offers more comfort and security than being number 100 in the open section, which doesn't get you very far financially. So women are incentivised to compete only among themselves, where the ceiling is much lower.' This entrenchment of gendered expectations creates a self-fulfilling prophecy. 'The mindset that men are superior to women in chess is not helpful,' the 31-year-old Grandmaster adds. 'Although this is completely untrue, repeating it enough times makes it part of our belief system. A belief of being inherently inferior causes lower confidence levels, lower expectations, and becomes a self-limiting factor. "Chess is expensive, and unless a player has strong backing, it's tough to keep going, especially without immediate results. As girls grow older, there's often more pressure to conform to traditional roles, prioritise academics, or opt for 'safer' career paths." International Master (IM) Vantika Agrawal, one of the most promising young female players in India, a three-time gold medalist at the Chess Olympiad, and Arjuna Award recipient, points to several practical roadblocks, with one of them being the difficulty in playing tournaments abroad as they offer higher ratings and better chances to win a GM norm (a player must earn three GM norms and cross the 2500 FIDE rating mark to become a GM). Vantika Agrawal 'It is financially challenging to play a lot of tournaments abroad. They need an accompanying person to travel with them, while boys start travelling alone from an early age,' the 23-year-old explains. "Female players don't get much opportunity to play with much stronger players, which hampers their growth. Playing in only female tournaments can lead to a lack of exposure to different styles of play. 'And our society is still male-dominated. Women don't get equal opportunities and support.' Vantika is candid about what needs to change. 'Female players need financial support so they can gain experience playing higher-rated tournaments abroad and the exposure needed to reach the next level. More grandmaster round robins with (2500-2600 rated GMs) should be conducted in India, and upcoming top female players should get a chance in that. It will help them to improve and achieve norms faster." Sreekar Channapragada, co-founder of MGD1, which manages many of India's top Grandmasters, agrees that the root of the problem is structural. 'The simplest answer is a lack of support. There is insufficient backing from parents, coaches, federations, and even sponsors. That makes it hard for girls to see chess as a real career path. Fewer of them stick with it, and that means fewer potential female Grandmasters,' Sreekar opines. 'There is a need to nurture belief in female players that they are not held back in any way from competing at the highest levels. They can compete in the open category and still come out victorious. We often see belief at a young age. But it fades as they grow older. That needs to change.' ALSO READ: 'Security protocol': Why Divya Deshmukh played World Cup-winning move inside empty venue So what can be done? The answers are many, but they converge on one point: there must be coordinated action from every stakeholder in the chess ecosystem. Parents must encourage their daughters' ambitions. Coaches must scout and mentor female talent with long-term plans. Federations must create inclusive policies and prioritise female representation. Sponsors must step up with committed financial support. And most of all, society must believe, truly believe, that girls can be Grandmasters not in spite of their gender, but regardless of it. Divya Deshmukh's GM title, earned despite having no norms before the Women's World Cup, is a monumental moment in Indian chess history, but it should not remain an anomaly. It should be a spark. Because the real victory will come when her story is not exceptional, but expected. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
News18
22-07-2025
- Sport
- News18
Divya Deshmukh Overwhelmed After Beating Compatriot D Harika At World Cup
Last Updated: Divya Deshmukh has beaten Harika Dronavalli in FIDE Women's World Chess Cup quarterfinals, advancing to the semifinals. Star Indian chess player Divya Deshmukh was visibly overwhelmed after she got the better of compatriot and a much-experienced Harika Dronavalli in the quarterfinals of the FIDE Women's World Chess Cup, which is being played in Batumi in Georgia, and will determine which three players go on to play the Candidates next year. After two uneventful draws in the classical matches, the pressure was on Harika in the rapid tiebreaks. Divya capitalised with a determined performance to win the first match, before sealing the game in the second as Harika, in a must-win situation, overpressed in search of a miracle that never happened. After Harika understood that there was no way out and shook hands with Divya to admit defeat, the latter had her hands on her face as she tried to control tears. Watch the video here: Divya Deshmukh is overwhelmed with emotions as she beats Harika Dronavalli 2-0 in tiebreaks to reach a Women's World Cup semifinal against Tan Zhongyi! — chess24 (@chess24com) July 21, 2025 While Harika has been a semifinalist thrice in a similar format, which was earlier called the World Women's Championship, Koneru Humpy and now Divya have become the two Indians who made it to the semifinals of the Women's World Cup, as this is a part of the new World Championship cycle. ♟ FIDE Women's World Cup Round 5 tiebreaks: 🇮🇳 Divya Deshmukh stuns 🇮🇳 Harika Dronavalli to reach semifinalsDivya Deshmukh, the young IM from Nagpur, Maharashtra, continued her remarkable rise in the world of chess with a stunning victory over GM Harika Dronavalli in Batumi.… — International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) July 21, 2025 This means that one Indian entry is assured in the Women's Candidates Tournaments slated sometime in 2026, which will decide who will contest the World Championship game against incumbent Ju Wenjun of China. 'She is the biggest support here. I don't think that I would have come this far without her. It's really nice to see somebody who's always cheering on you in your good times and bad times." – 🇮🇳 Divya Deshmukh on her mother📷 Anna Shtourman/FIDE — International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) July 21, 2025 With Divya joining Humpy as the other semifinalist, it showcases a paradigm shift in Indian women's chess as well, where the boys have been making hay. view comments First Published: July 22, 2025, 08:33 IST 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.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
21-07-2025
- Sport
- First Post
Divya Deshmukh storms into FIDE Women's World Cup semi-finals as India set new record in Batumi
Divya Deshmukh has defeated Harika Dronavalli in the tiebreaks to enter the semi-final of the FIDE Women's World Cup. With Humpy already in the semis, this is the first time two Indians have made to the last four of the tournament. read more The All-Indian quarterfinal affair between Divya Deshmukh and Harika Dronavalli went down to the wire to the tiebreaks where the former got the better of the latter and in turn advanced to the semi-final of the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025. Divya defeated Harika with both white and black pieces in the tie-breaker. With the victory, she has become the second Indian to qualify for the semis. The victory becomes even sweeter for her as she made it through to the semi-final in her first appearance at the event. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Koneru Humpy made history on Sunday by beating Yuxin Song and thereby securing her spot in the top four. This is the first time two Indians have made it to the semi-final of the FIDE Women's World Cup. 🇮🇳 Divya Deshmukh is through to the semifinals of the 2025 FIDE Women's World Cup!#FIDEWorldCup @DivyaDeshmukh05 — International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) July 21, 2025 It will be India v China in the two semi-finals. Koneru Humpy v Lei Tingjie and Divya Deshmukh v Tan Zhongyi. (More to follow…)
News18
21-07-2025
- Sport
- News18
FIDE World Women's Chess Cup: Divya Pips Harika, Inches Closer To Semis
Last Updated: IM Divya Deshmukh defeated Harika Dronavalli in the first tiebreaker, inching closer to the FIDE World Women's Chess Cup semifinals. IM Divya Deshmukh defeated Harika Dronavalli with white pieces in the first tiebreaker, to move closer to semifinal of the FIDE World Women's Chess Cup. Divya Deshmukh and Harika Dronavalli drew both classical games in their all-Indian quarterfinal clash. The winner of this contest will join compatriot Koneru Humpy and China's Lei Tingjie and Tan Zhongyi in the semifinals. What Is The Format? The tiebreaker format for the FIDE Women's World Cup is as follows if the two-game classical match ends in a draw: A two-game match with each player having 15 minutes and a 10-second increment per move. A two-game match with each player having 10 minutes and a 10-second increment per move. A two-game match with each player having five minutes and a three-second increment per move. A two-game match with each player having three minutes and a two-second increment per move. Players continue with 3+2 games until a decisive result determines the match winner. The World Cup provides three spots for the FIDE Women's Candidates Tournament, scheduled for the first half of 2026. view comments First Published: July 21, 2025, 17:38 IST 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.
Times of Oman
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Times of Oman
Humpy scripts history, Harika vs Divya heads to tiebreaks at Women's Chess World Cup
Batumi : Koneru Humpy created history by becoming the first-ever Indian woman to reach the semifinals of the FIDE Women's Chess World Cup. A solid draw in the second game of her quarterfinal clash against China's IM Song Yuxin was enough to seal the deal, according to ESPN. There were a couple of minor inaccuracies along the way, but Humpy kept things under control, playing safe and smart. Eventually, her opponent settled for a draw, which confirmed Humpy's passage into the final four. Earlier, Koneru Humpy struck the first blow, securing the game one in the quarterfinals of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) Women's World Cup at Batumi on Saturday night. In the all-Indian quarterfinal between Harika Dronavalli and young Divya Deshmukh, things remained tight. Divya, playing with the white pieces, chose the 'Slav Defense: Modern Line' as her opening, but Harika didn't give her any clear chances. It turned into a long battle, with neither side able to find a breakthrough. After 60 hard-fought moves, the two agreed to a draw. Meanwhile, Vaishali Rameshbabu's impressive run came to an end, as she lost to the third seed Tan Zhongyi of China. Top seed Lei Tingjie, on the other hand, continued her strong form and stormed into the semifinals with another victory over Georgia's Nana Dzagnidze. Humpy will now face Tingjie in a high-profile semifinal showdown, while Tan awaits the winner of the Harika vs Divya.
