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Deshmukh added yet another accolade to her growing list of achievements as she moved into the final of the FIDE Women’s World Cup in Georgia on Wednesday.
Indian Chess Prodigy Divya Deshmukh. (X)
Divya Deshmukh etched her name in the long annals of Indian chess history as she moved into the final of the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025 with her triumph over Zhongyi Tan in the semifinal, thus becoming the first teenager in over three decades to secure a place in the summit clash of the prestigious event.
The 19-year-old from Nagpur also enjoyed a stunning run to the final as she eliminated second seed, Zhu Jiner of China, before defeating her experienced compatriot and India’s No. 2, Harika Dronavalli, in the quarterfinals.
Born into a Marathi family, the daughter of doctors Jitendra and Namratha Deshmukh, Divya, attended Bhavans Bhagwandas Purohit Vidya Mandir and took to the chequered board early. Her father taught her the basics of the game when the youngester was all of five years old, and she took it to like a swan to water as she went on to clinch her first national title at the tender age of seven. Her rise, there on out, has been nothing short of phenomenal.
Deshmukh’s current ELO rating reads 2463, while her peak rating of 2501 dating back to October of last year, serving as a fair indicator of the incredible talent the teenager possesses.
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Divya became India’s 21st Woman Grandmaster in the year 2021 and won the 2022 Women’s Indian Chess Championship. She earned an individual bronze medal at the 2022 Chess Olympiad and played a crucial role in India’s gold medal victory at the 2020 FIDE Online Olympiad. As of December 2024, she is ranked No. 2 among Indian women chess players.
Divya clinched the Asian Women’s Chess Championship in Almaty in 2023 and won the women’s rapid section of the Tata Steel India Chess Tournament, defeating top players such as Harika Dronavalli and Koneru Humpy.
She triumphed at the Sharjah Challengers in 2024, followed by a historic win at the FIDE World U20 Girls Championship in June, becoming only the fourth Indian to achieve this title. She finished with an impressive score of 10/11 after a decisive final-round victory.
At the 2025 World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships in London, Divya played a key role for Hexamind Chess Club, securing silver in the rapid team event and bronze in the blitz team event. A standout moment came in the blitz semifinal, where she defeated world No. 1 Hou Yifan in an exciting 74-move game.
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