Divya Deshmukh winning the Women's Chess World Cup in faraway Batumi this year not only showcased India's unfathomable depth of talent in the sport, but also reaffirmed the country's status as the new global force of the game.
Just when it seemed the aura of D. Gukesh, who became world champion in 2024, was on the wane after a string of losses this year, the 19-year-old Nagpur girl emerged from nowhere and achieved three career milestones with one signature triumph. Divya not only became the first Indian woman to win the FIDE Women's World Cup, she also instantly secured the prestigious Grandmaster title, bypassing the usual "norms" required to earn it.
Divya also secured an automatic qualification for the 2026 Candidates tournament, where the winner will earn the right to challenge the reigning women's world champion Ju Wenjun of China.
On that eventful day in July, Divya's victory also shifted the contours of women's chess in the country, which relied on two-time world rapid champion Koneru Humpy and Dronavalli Harika. The two women have been the torchbearers of the sport in the country for nearly two decades.
Gukesh hits lean patch
After the high of becoming world champion, Gukesh's journey this year has been anything but smooth. Compatriot R. Praggnanandhaa challenged his supremacy, defeating the champion in a thrilling blitz tiebreaker to clinch the Tata Steel Masters title.
In a year when 19-year-old Gukesh should have consolidated the gains of the world title, he kept slipping, getting knocked out of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, finishing dismally in the FIDE Grand Swiss and suffering a shocking third-round exit at the FIDE World Cup in Goa.
Gukesh's famous victory over World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in Norway Chess in May-June and the European Club Cup triumph in October, where he won the individual gold and helped his team, SuperChess, bag the title, were the few bright spots in a largely lacklustre year.
Amid all the gloom in classical, rapid and blitz, one signature victory that saw Gukesh's popularity soar was his win against Carlsen in Norway Chess in Stavanger. That famous triumph, where a shaken Carlsen slammed his fist on the table and muttered "Oh my God" before leaving the hall agitated, caused a social media storm.
Pragg stands out
India were expected to secure at least one Candidates tournament berth from the World Cup in Goa recently. Unfortunately, front-runners Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Nihal Sarin, P Harikrishna and Vidit Gujrathi bowed out at various stages of the tournament as the Indians couldn't capitalise on the home advantage.
However, Praggnanandhaa did finally manage to seal his spot in the Candidates by winning the FIDE Circuit 2025, making him the first Indian male player to qualify for the prestigious World Championship qualifier by topping the circuit's standings with strong performances and points from events like the London Chess Classic.
Also read: Gukesh, Divya claim double gold at European Cup
Follow us
