Latest news with #WomanGrandmaster
Time of India
20 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Divya Deshmukh education qualifications: From Nagpur school desks to becoming India's fourth woman chess grandmaster
Divya Deshmukh, India's fourth woman chess grandmaster. After 24 gruelling days of world-class chess, 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh stood atop the podium as the FIDE Women's World Cup Champion, having defeated none other than India's first woman Grandmaster, Koneru Humpy, in a nerve-wracking tiebreak final. In doing so, Divya didn't just clinch one of the most coveted titles in women's chess, she also became India's fourth woman to earn the Grandmaster title, and the first ever to win the Women's World Cup. But behind the grandmaster title and global headlines lies a quieter story of a schoolgirl from Nagpur, balancing academic excellence with a relentless pursuit of chess mastery. A doctor's daughter raised on books and boards Born on 9 December 2005 in Nagpur, Maharashtra, Divya Deshmukh grew up in a household where learning was the norm. Her parents, Dr. Jitendra and Dr. Namratha Deshmukh, both medical professionals, instilled in her the discipline that comes with a rigorous academic environment. Yet it was a chessboard, not a stethoscope, that caught young Divya's fascination. Divya began her formal schooling at Bhavans Bhagwandas Purohit Vidya Mandir, a reputed CBSE-affiliated school in Nagpur. By the age of 10, Divya was already a national-level champion, representing India in age-category events abroad. But even as her passport filled up with stamps, her school diary stayed updated with homework and class notes. Teachers and classmates remember her not just as the 'chess girl' but as a focused, curious student who never used her talent as an excuse to skip studies. She completed her Class 10 and 12 board exams with distinction, often preparing for them in hotel rooms or between chess rounds. Divya credits her school and family for never letting either side of her life feel like a burden. Higher education: Learning on her own terms Unlike many peers who jumped straight into college after Class 12, Divya made a conscious choice to focus on her chess career during its peak. However, that didn't mean abandoning academics. As of 2025, she is pursuing her higher education through distance learning, with a growing interest in sports psychology, performance science, and data analytics in chess. She's enrolled in online certifications and open university courses, choosing flexibility over convention, a route many young athletes are now beginning to explore. The making of a grandmaster Divya was awarded the Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title in 2021 and soon became India's second-highest ranked woman player. Her rise was marked by wins at the Asian Women's Championship (2023), World U-20 Girls Championship (2024), and a string of top finishes in rapid and blitz formats. In 2024, she played a key role in India's team gold win at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest. 2025 became her defining year. She defeated top seeds like Zhu Jiner, Harika Dronavalli, and Tan Zhongyi on her way to the FIDE Women's World Cup final, and finally beat Koneru Humpy, her childhood idol, to claim the title. Divya Deshmukh's story is more than a record of titles, it's a case study in self-discipline, time management, and the power of balance. She has shown that you can be a top student and a world-class competitor, that education and excellence don't have to exist in separate lanes. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
News18
21 hours ago
- Sport
- News18
Who Is Divya Deshmukh? The First Indian Woman To Win FIDE Women's World Cup
Last Updated: All you need to know about Divya Deshmukh, India's latest Grand Master. Nineteen-year-old Divya Deshmukh beat higher-ranked Koneru Humpy in tiebreaks to become the FIDE Women's World Cup Champion 2025, the first Indian to do so. With the win, she also directly secured the title of Grandmaster, becoming just the 88th from India to get there. In the all-Indian Finals, which went to tiebreaks after a hard-graft on Sunday (July 27), Divya defeated Humpy 1.5-0.5. The first Rapid game ended in a draw, and Divya secured a brilliant win with the Black pieces to win the match. She's also the youngest to win the FIDE Women's World Cup. 'I think it was fate me getting the grandmaster title this way because before this I didn't even have one norm. Before this tournament I was thinking, where can I get a norm, and now I'm a grandmaster!" Divya said afterwards. Both Divya and Humpy have qualified for the Candidates. Divya, 19, already held the titles of Woman Grandmaster (WGM) and International Master (IM). She hails from Nagpur, Maharashtra and was born into a Marathi family. Her parents, Jitendra and Namratha Deshmukh, are doctors. She attended Bhavans Bhagwandas Purohit Vidya Mandir for her early education and began playing chess at a young age, quickly advancing through the ranks in Indian chess Divya won the 2022 Women's Indian Chess Championship and was crowned India's 21st Woman Grandmaster in 2021. She helped India win the gold medal at the 2020 FIDE Online Olympiad and earned a bronze medal for herself at the 2022 Chess Olympiad. Divya defeated elite players like Harika Dronavalli and Koneru Humpy to win the Asian Women's Chess Championship and the women's quick division of the Tata Steel India Chess Tournament in 2023. Her victories at the Sharjah Challengers in May 2024 and the FIDE World U20 Girls Championship in June made her just the fourth Indian to earn this title. She won the last round handily and finished with an outstanding score of 10/11. At the 2025 World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships in London, she defeated world No. 1 Hou Yifan in a thrilling 74-move game. view comments First Published: July 28, 2025, 16:06 IST 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.
Mint
6 days ago
- Sport
- Mint
Who is Divya Deshmukh? India's 19-year-old chess prodigy making waves at FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 in Georgia
Indian chess prodigy Divya Deshmukh is making waves at the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025, after the 19-year-old Grandmaster became one of the two from the country to enter the semifinals in Georgia. The other Indian is Koneru Humpy. Having defeated compatriot GM Harika Dronavalli in the quarterfinals, winning both the tie-break games, Deshmukh drew her first semifinal game against China's Tan Zhongyi with a 0.5-0.5 scoreline. The result from the first game were shared on the official X handle of FIDE. Earlier, Deshmukh had stunned China's world no.6 Zhu Jiner in th tournament. Deshmukh has trainer herself under GM R.B. Ramesh at Chess Gurukul in Chennai and is best known for her sharp tactical vision, unshakeable composure, and creative flair. Born in Nagpur to doctor parents Jitendra and Namratha, Deshmukh was drawn into sports when her elder sister enrolled her into badminton. But she found her love in chess at the age of five and quickly advanced. Two years later, Deshmukh brought home her first title, winning the Under-7 National Championship in 2012. That was followed by world youth titles in U‑10 (Durban, 2014) and U‑12 (Brazil, 2017) categories. Deshmukh got er woman FIDE Master early on and by 2021, she has earned the title of Woman Grandmaster (WGM), and became Vidarbha's first and India's 22nd under that rating. In 2023, Deshmukh got the title of International Master (IM) and won the World Junior Girls' U‑20 Championship in 2024 as a world no.1. She had finished with a dominant 10/11 score of 54:53. There was no looking back for Deshmukh as the Nagpur girl played a crucial role in India's team gold at the 45th Chess Olympiad (2024) in Budapest. At an individual level, Deshmukh achieved a performance rating over 2600 in the blitz segment of the World Team Rapid & Blitz Championship. So far, Deshmukh has three chess Olympiad gold medals in her cabinet, and multiple Asian and World Youth titles.
News18
21-07-2025
- Sport
- News18
Who Is Divya Deshmukh? India's Chess International Master Challenging The World
Divya Deshmukh is an Indian chess player from Nagpur. She holds titles of Woman Grandmaster and International Master, and ranks No. 2 among Indian women chess players. Divya Deshmukh, born on 9 December 2005, is an Indian chess player holding the titles of Woman Grandmaster (WGM) and International Master (IM). She is considered one of India's most promising young talents, having won three gold medals in the Chess Olympiad and multiple gold medals at the Asian Championship, World Youth Championship, and World Junior Championship. Hailing from Nagpur, Maharashtra, Divya was born into a Marathi family. Her parents, Jitendra and Namratha Deshmukh, are doctors. She attended Bhavans Bhagwandas Purohit Vidya Mandir for her early education and began playing chess at a young age, quickly advancing through the ranks in Indian chess. In 2021, Divya became India's 21st Woman Grandmaster and won the 2022 Women's Indian Chess Championship. She secured an individual bronze medal at the 2022 Chess Olympiad and was instrumental in India's gold medal win at the 2020 FIDE Online Olympiad. As of December 2024, she is ranked No. 2 among Indian women chess players. In 2023, Divya won the Asian Women's Chess Championship in Almaty and emerged victorious in the women's rapid section of the Tata Steel India Chess Tournament, defeating top players such as Harika Dronavalli and Koneru Humpy. In May 2024, she triumphed at the Sharjah Challengers, 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 win. 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 a thrilling 74-move game. What Is Divya Deshmukh Rating? view comments 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.
Al Etihad
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Al Etihad
UAE's first female chess grandmaster Rouda Al Serkal proves ‘anything is possible' for Emirati youth
24 June 2025 00:15 AMEINAH ALZEYOUDI (ABU DHABI)At just 15, Rouda Al Serkal has earned global recognition as a two-time world chess champion and made history as the first Emirati female to achieve the title of Woman Grandmaster (WGM). Her journey to this milestone — achieved after winning the Arab Women's Championship at the Sharjah Cultural Chess Club — has been shaped by talent, determination, and the support of both her family and her she was only 4 years old, she began playing with her father, Essa Alserkal, and other family members before joining the Abu Dhabi Chess Club. By the age of five, she had already shown serious potential. 'Chess was a very fun thing for me when I was a kid, and I enjoyed every part of it,' she said in an interview with Aletihad . Her rise since then has been steady and impressive, with a collection of local and international wins that include the U-20 UAE Championship, World Cadets Under-8 title in 2017, World Schools Under-9 in 2018, a bronze medal at the Asian Youth Under-14, the Jeddah Open Tournament and multiple Arab Women's Champion titles. She also won the World Championship in the Solving Puzzles Category C and the West Asian a woman grandmaster, Rouda joins Salem Abdulrahman as one of only two players from the UAE to hold the grandmaster title. But her achievements have not come without challenges.'There was a lot of hard work there, a lot of sacrifices made,' she said. 'One of the hardest parts was the pressure — from the club, from tournaments, from players around me — because they had high expectations of me. It's pretty stressful dealing with it at such a young age.'Despite the pressure, Rouda has found ways to stay grounded, though balancing school and chess hasn't always been smooth.'Back in middle school, it was manageable. But now that I'm in high school, it's honestly not that easy,' she daily routine reflects the discipline of a champion. She returns home from school at 3:30pm, takes a short break, then heads to the chess club from 4:30 to 8pm before starting her homework.'When I'm travelling for tournaments, it gets even harder. Sometimes I come back and have exams straight away,' she said, admitting she's still figuring out the routine that works best for Rouda looks back at the challenges with pride. 'It wasn't easy dealing with this, but I don't regret any bit of it. I'm very happy that I had to go through those hardships, and I finally reached my dream.'As one of the most memorable milestones in her journey, Rouda highlighted the recent meeting with President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Although this was her third meeting with the UAE President, it held special significance.'It was actually my third time meeting His Highness, but this one felt different. We sat down and talked for 15 minutes — it's a memory I will never forget. It was very inspiring. His Highness told me the UAE is very proud of my achievements, very proud of what I've done and encouraged me to keep working hard, both at school and in chess,' she the support of the UAE's leadership for young Emiratis and athletes to pursue their dreams, Rouda hopes others will take that first step, no matter the challenge. 'Anything is possible,' she said confidently. 'It might be difficult, but it's never impossible. Whether you're 10 or 30, married or not, anything is possible. Our country and our leaders have always supported Emiratis and athletes to reach their dreams. With just a little bit of self-confidence, you can do whatever you want.'
