Divya Deshmukh Makes History as First Indian Woman to Win FIDE Women's World Cup

Historic Victory for Young Chess Prodigy

New Delhi, July 28: Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated India's young chess talent, Divya Deshmukh, for her stunning triumph at the FIDE Women’s World Cup, where she faced off against veteran player Koneru Humpy in the finals.

The 19-year-old chess prodigy made history by becoming the first Indian woman to win the Chess World Cup, defeating Koneru in a tense final that concluded with tiebreaks on Monday evening. Divya is now the fourth Indian woman to earn the title of grandmaster, marking her as the 88th grandmaster in India.

PM Modi praised both competitors, expressing his belief that Divya's achievement would motivate young players across the nation. He shared on X, “A historic final featuring two outstanding Indian chess players! Proud of the young Divya Deshmukh on becoming FIDE Women’s World Chess Champion 2025. Congratulations to her for this remarkable feat, which will inspire several youngsters. Koneru Humpy has also displayed immense prowess throughout the championship. Best wishes to both players for their future endeavours. @DivyaDeshmukh05 @humpy_koneru.”

President Droupadi Murmu also extended her congratulations on X, stating, “My heartiest congratulations to Divya Deshmukh who has become the first Indian woman to win the FIDE Women’s World Cup, that too, at a very young age of nineteen.”

The final match was intense, with a series of missteps in the second rapid game leading to Koneru's defeat. She found herself at a disadvantage in the rook endgame, ultimately resigning on the 75th move, resulting in a final score of 2.5-1.5 in favor of Divya.

Although Divya missed two opportunities presented by Koneru's inaccuracies, she capitalized on a critical mistake when Koneru captured the f pawn on move 69, shifting the momentum in Divya's favor. This time, Divya executed her strategy flawlessly, compelling Koneru to resign after just six moves.

Overcome with emotion, Divya shed tears as she began to comprehend the significance of her victory, sharing a touching moment with her mother as she celebrated her achievement.