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Business Standard
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Business Standard
I'm an aggressive player, don't feel pressure: Chess champ Divya Deshmukh
Newly-crowned FIDE Women's Chess World Cup champion Divya Deshmukh on Thursday said she is an aggressive player for whom pressure does not matter much. The 19-year-old became the youngest to win the Women's World Cup, held in Batumi in Georgia, on July 28 after she outwitted Koneru Humpy in the tie-breaker of an all-Indian final. The victory not just earned her the prestigious title, but also made her a Grandmaster. Interacting with the press here, the chess sensation said it is easier for her to go into tactics and aggressive positions. "Pressure does not matter much to me. What matters is my own expectations and goals," Deshmukh asserted. Asked about frequent comparisons with the legendary former India cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, hailed for his aggressiveness and mental toughness, Deshmukh said, "I think aggressiveness was always in my play. It is easier for me to go into tactics and aggresive positions. I think it is my style." Asked about similarities with D Gukesh, who at 18 became the youngest world chess champion in December after a victory over Ding Liren of China, Deshmukh said, "I think the fact that we both fight till the end is the biggest similarity." Queried on rise in exprectations post her stupendous win, the 19-year-old said there has been pressure on her for the last many years. "But after a time, it doesn't matter whether there is pressure from 100 persons or a lakh. For, me what matters is my own expectation and my own goals. Obviously, pressure is always there in your head but I try not look at it or think about it," she said.
Hindustan Times
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Divya Deshmukh receives grand welcome in Nagpur as fans flock to congratulate Women's Chess World Cup champion
Divya Deshmukh got a grand welcome on her return to Nagpur, after winning the FIDE Women's Chess World Cup title in Batumi (Georgia). The 19-year-old was welcomed by a massive crowd at the airport in Nagpur, as family, friends and chess fans from across the city flocked to cheer for her. FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 champion Divya Deshmukh being welcomed upon her arrival at Nagpur airport.(PTI) On arriving in Nagpur, she said, 'I am so happy to receive this affection. My heart is full.' 'I'll take some rest this month and prepare for Grand Swiss next,' she added. Here is the full video of her Nagpur welcome: Divya defeated Koneru Humpy in the final, and was extremely emotional after the win. There were tears of joy rolling down her cheeks as she hugged her mother, who tried to calm her down. During her post-match interview, she said, 'I need time to process it. I think it was fate, me getting the Grandmaster title this way. Because before this, I didn't even have one norm, and before this tournament, I was thinking 'Oh, where can I get my norm' and now I'm a Grandmaster.' Analysing her game, she conceded that she needs to improve in her endgames. 'I definitely need to learn endgames. I'm pretty sure at some point I messed it up. I'm not sure how. It should have been an easy win. I think I should not allow g4. But I think maybe I should just go rook a3, rook f3, rook g3, and that should be a win,' she said. 'It definitely means a lot. But of course, there's uh there's a lot more to achieve. So this I'm hoping this is just a start,' she added. She is also the first Indian to win the FIDE Women's World Cup title and she wasn't even a GM before the tournament. She bagged the GM title after beating Humpy, becoming India's 88th. Her qualification for the final also saw her get a berth at next year's Candidates Tournament.
Time of India
a day ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Divya Deshmukh receives grand welcome in Nagpur after historic Chess World Cup win
Divya Deshmukh (Image credit: Special arrangements) Nagpur was gripped by celebration as the city welcomed home its newest sporting icon — Divya Deshmukh — fresh off her historic triumph at the FIDE Women's World Chess Cup 2025 held in Batumi, Georgia. The 19-year-old sensation etched her name in the history books by defeating compatriot and seasoned campaigner Koneru Humpy in a dramatic tie-break final on Monday, marking the biggest achievement of her young career. With this monumental win, Divya not only lifted the prestigious World Cup trophy but also achieved the elusive Grandmaster title — a milestone that had once seemed a distant dream at the start of the tournament. She now becomes only the fourth Indian woman to attain the Grandmaster title, and the 88th Indian overall, joining an elite list that includes Koneru Humpy, Dronavalli Harika, and R Vaishali. The final showdown was tightly contested. After two classical games played over the weekend ended in draws, the match was pushed into Monday's tie-breaks. Playing with the white pieces in the first rapid game, Divya was held to a draw once again. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like See Why Everyone Is Talking About DAYMADE DAYMADE Play Now Undo But in the reverse fixture, wielding the black pieces, she held her nerve and defeated the two-time World Rapid Champion with a final score of 2.5-1.5. Her breakthrough comes at a time when Indian men's chess is enjoying unprecedented global success, led by names like D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, and Arjun Erigaisi. Divya's win signals a powerful resurgence in Indian women's chess and adds momentum to the country's rising dominance on the global chess stage. By reaching the final, Deshmukh has also secured a spot in the 2026 Candidates Tournament, which will determine the challenger for China's reigning world champion Ju Wenjun in the Women's World Championship. An emotional Divya couldn't hold back tears after her triumph over Humpy — an opponent twice her age — whose resilience made the win all the more meaningful for the determined teenager. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
News18
a day ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Divya Deshmukh Receives A Hero's Welcome Back In Nagpur After Historic World Cup Win: WATCH
Divya made history by becoming the first Indian champion of tthe FIDE Women's World Cup, defeating Koneru Humpy 2.5-1.5. She also became India's 88th Grandmaster. It was nothing short of a champion's celebration in Nagpur on Wednesday night, as the newly-crowned GM Divya Deshmukh made her way back home after her historic outing at the FIDE Women's World Cup. Divya etched her name into chess history, defeating fellow Indian compatriot Koneru Humpy with a score of 2.5-1.5 in the tiebreaks of the FIDE Women's World Cup Final to become the first-ever Indian champion of the esteemed tournament on Monday. Divya received a grand reception in Nagpur, with her relatives and fans arriving much in advance to receive her. 'My parents have played the biggest role in my career. Without them I would not have reached here. Credit to my family, my parents, my sister, and my first coach, Rahul Joshi sir. He always wanted me to become the Grandmaster, and this is for him," said Divya, about Joshi, who passed away in 2020 at just 40 years of age. 'My mother and father had a bigger role to play but definitely my whole family, my sister Arya Deshmukh, my grandmother, grandfather…I don't think whatever I will say will be enough (for my parents)." Divya received $50,000 as prize money on top of the coveted trophy. But, most importantly, with her win, she earned the nod to become a Grandmaster — thereby becoming India's 88th GM in chess history. She now also holds the title of Grandmaster, only the fourth Indian woman to do so, joining her opponent on the day, Humpy, Dronavalli Harika, and R Vaishali. Usually, becoming a GM requires a player to win three GM norms and achieve a Standard (Classical) FIDE rating of 2500 or above. However, players can also do it by winning certain elite competitions, including the FIDE Women's World Cup. An emotional Divya couldn't hold back her tears following her victory, as she reflected on her journey to becoming a GM. 'I need time to process it (win). I think it was fate, me getting the Grandmaster title this way, because before this (tournament) I didn't even have one (GM) norm, and now I am the Grandmaster," she said after the match. 'It definitely means a lot, but there's a lot more to achieve. So, hopefully, this is just the start." Elaborating on her future plans, Divya said she would take a break and then compete in the Grand Swiss, to be held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan from September 2-16. 'I will take some rest this month and will play Grand Swiss next month." top videos View all With her win, Divya also secured a spot in next year's Candidates tournament, which will decide who will take on world champion Ju Wenjun of China in the Women's World Championship. (with PTI inputs) News18 Sports brings you the latest updates, live commentary, and highlights from cricket, football, tennis, badmintion, wwe and more. Catch breaking news, live scores, and in-depth coverage. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Chess chess news divya deshmukh FIDE FIDE world cup view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 30, 2025, 23:27 IST News sports Divya Deshmukh Receives A Hero's Welcome Back In Nagpur After Historic World Cup Win: WATCH 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.
Business Standard
a day ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Maharashtra cabinet honours Divya Deshmukh for world chess title win
In a statement on Monday, Fadnavis said Divya Deshmukh has inscribed the state's name in golden letters on the international chess board Press Trust of India Mumbai The Maharashtra cabinet has passed a resolution congratulating Divya Deshmukh on being the youngest chess player to win the Women's Chess World Cup. The resolution was moved on Tuesday in the cabinet, headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and comprising Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar and other ministers. Divya Deshmukh, the 19-year-old player from Nagpur, became the youngest to win the Women's World Cup on Monday as she outwitted the seasoned Koneru Humpy in the tie-breaker of an all-Indian final in Batumi, Georgia. CM Fadnavis on Monday announced the Maharashtra government will felicitate the newly crowned Grandmaster on her stellar achievement. "It is a moment of great joy that Nagpur and Maharashtra girl Divya Deshmukh has won the Women's World Cup and earned the Grandmaster title as well. She is the youngest chess player to win the prestigious international title," he said. In a statement on Monday, Fadnavis said Divya Deshmukh has inscribed the state's name in golden letters on the international chess board. It was a matter of immense pride that both players in the World Cup final were Indians, he added, while also congratulating Humpy. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
