Divya Deshmukh creates history, becomes first Indian to win women’s chess world cup

Divya Deshmukh, a 19-year-old chess player from India, has won the FIDE Women’s World Cup held in Batumi, Georgia. She is the first Indian woman to win this title. She also earned the Grandmaster title, becoming the fourth Indian woman to do so, after Koneru Humpy, Harika Dronavalli, and Vaishali R.

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In the final, Divya faced senior Indian player Koneru Humpy. The two classical games ended in draws, as both played safe and avoided major risks. The match then went into rapid tiebreakers, where each player has less time to make moves. The first tiebreak game also ended in a draw. In the second, Humpy made a mistake under time pressure and Divya used the chance to win. With that, she won the match 1.5–0.5.

This tournament lasted 24 days and included many top players from around the world. Divya stayed calm and focused throughout. Her coach praised her cool thinking during tense moments.
Divya had earlier won the World Junior Championship in 2024. With this latest win, she becomes India’s 88th Grandmaster. Her victory is an important moment for Indian chess and a strong step forward for women players in the country.