Checkmate to the World: Divya Deshmukh’s Journey to Glory

Divya Deshmukh's remarkable performance at the Women's Chess World Cup has once again highlighted Indian chess. It seems that every week, an Indian player achieves something significant somewhere in the world. However, Divya's achievement in Batumi, Georgia on Monday is particularly noteworthy. The 19-year-old from Nagpur triumphed in one of the most prestigious tournaments, overcoming stronger and more experienced opponents in a challenging knockout match. Starting as the 15th seed, she defeated fellow Indian and fourth seed Koneru Humpy, the current world rapid chess champion, in the final, underscoring India's dominance in the event.

Two other Indians, D. Harika and R. Vaishali, also reached the quarterfinals. However, the stellar performance in Georgia does not make India a superpower in women's chess. That honour belongs to China, home to the last three women's world champions. Though the Indian women, like the men, won the Chess Olympiad in Budapest last year, China has more depth. Divya Deshmukh's family is overjoyed to see her become the champion. Her aunt Dr. Smita Deshmukh said, "Divya's hard work, her parents' sacrifices and the brilliant game she has played this year are now paying off. We have been waiting for Divya to arrive and this is a happy moment for our family."

Divya Deshmukh's victory is even more special because she had a tough challenge in front of her. She came in as an underdog in the tie-break, while Koneru Humpy is a two-time world rapid champion and world number 5 in classical chess. At the same time, Divya was ranked 18th in classical, 22nd in rapid and 18th in blitz in the FIDE women's rankings.

This victory of Nagpur's Divya is a proof of her brilliant emerging talent. Last year she won the World Junior Championship. She played an important role in India's gold medal win at the Chess Olympiad held in Budapest in 2024. Her victory in Baku has made her a rising star in the world of chess. Now this victory of hers has definitely made India's strong place on the global chessboard of chess competitions. Last year, four Indian male players - D Gukesh, Arjun Erigesi, R. Praggnanandhaa and Arvind were included in the top ten rankings of world chess. Now, Divya's win is also being seen as a milestone in Indian chess success and hope for the future. An old clip of an interview of Divya Deshmukh from seven years ago was discovered and re-popularised on YouTube in the last few days. “This 12-year-old is the future of Indian women's chess,” reads the headline of the video, like a fortune teller staring into a crystal ball. In the video, Deshmukh is interviewed by ChessBase India, where she is asked if she has won any world championships yet.

With a slight smile, Deshmukh begins to recount her titles. World and Asian champion in the under-10 and under-12 age groups. National champion in under-7, under-9 and under-11. She pauses occasionally as she recounts her achievements, as if to give her mind some breathing space. “I think that's enough,” she says. The 12-year-old is then asked about her fighting spirit at chess, how she is not afraid of any opponent and is told that if it is a high-stakes game she will win. “It can be true,” she says. The seven-year-old prediction made by the clickbait title of a YouTube video has come true in Georgia, a country that has produced some of the world’s earliest female chess players such as Nona Gaprindashvili and Maia Chiburdanidze.

Anju Bhutani, the former principal and current academic coordinator of management at Bhavan’s Bhagwandas Purohit Vidya Mandir, praised Divya for her exceptional ability to balance her studies with chess. Despite participating in competitions, Divya consistently prioritized her academics, excelling in exams, submitting assignments on time, and remaining focused on her goals even after achieving significant titles. After each victory, she would quietly stand outside Bhutani's office with her trophy, enter to hug her, and take photos together. Currently, while chess remains her primary focus, Deshmukh expresses admiration for China's world number one, Hou Yifan, who has won multiple women's world championships. Hou's achievements extend beyond chess; she pursued academics, earned a master's degree from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, and began working at Shenzhen University.