At an age when most are just beginning to weigh career choices, teenager Divya Deshmukh did something extraordinary, she became a world champion. In a feat reminiscent of Dommaraju Gukesh’s meteoric rise just months earlier, the 19-year-and-83-day-old from Nagpur scripted history in Batumi, Georgia, by winning the FIDE Women’s World Cup. With that, she became the youngest Indian woman ever to claim the title.Divya’s triumph underlined India’s growing dominance in chess, with Indian players now reigning as world champions in both the male and female categories.Extraordinary, just as her name suggests, Divya entered the tournament as an International Master, aiming only to earn a Grandmaster norm. But instead, she walked away with the World Cup crown and secured a coveted spot in the 2026 Candidates Tournament, which will decide who challenges reigning World Champion Gukesh.Her victory came in a gripping final against the legendary Koneru Humpy, a generational icon of Indian chess. The match was more than just a battle of moves — it was a symbolic passing of the torch. Humpy, India’s first female Grandmaster and twice Divya’s age, brought experience and stature to the board, but it was the teenager who held her nerve. The two classical games ended in draws, but in the rapid tiebreaks, Divya pounced on a rare mistake from Humpy and converted it with calm, clinical precision.As the final move was made, Divya leaned back in disbelief. Moments later, she broke down and ran into her mother’s arms, a deeply emotional scene that captured the weight of a journey that began 14 years ago in a modest chess class in Nagpur.Divya’s chess story started by chance. At five, she had accompanied her sister to a badminton class but was too small to play. She wandered into a nearby chess room and never looked back. “I liked the sport. Then, I just stuck with chess,” she once said. That serendipitous decision would go on to shape the future of Indian chess.Her rise through the ranks was swift. She became a national champion in age-group categories, represented India at the Olympiad and won the World Junior title in 2024. But the World Cup was different. It was a test of endurance, strategy and mental strength — 24 days of relentless chess against the world’s best. And Divya, who entered the tournament without even a single Grandmaster norm, emerged not just as the champion, but also as India’s fourth woman Grandmaster.“I think it was fate, me getting the Grandmaster title this way,” she said after the final, still teary-eyed. “Before the tournament, I didn’t even have one norm. I was thinking I could maybe earn one here. And in the end, I became a Grandmaster.”Her humility was as striking as her composure. Speaking about her missed opportunity in the first classical game, she said, “That draw felt like a loss. I had seen everything beforehand. So I was disappointed.” Then, with a grin that charmed chess fans, she added, “I definitely need to learn endgames.”The final match drew millions of viewers and among the commentators was five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand. “Dramatic! Humpy just collapsed,” he said, adding, “This was one of those situations where your nerves get the better of you.”But Divya’s win was more than just about nerves — it was about grit, preparation, and belief. Her victory is not just a personal milestone, it’s a beacon for a new generation of Indian girls who now see a path to the top of the chess world.“This means a lot,” Divya said. “But there’s a lot more to achieve. I’m hoping this is just the start.”
Teen chess prodigy Divya conquers the world
