Divya Deshmukh, a 19-year-old IM from Nagpur, clinched the 2025 FIDE Women’s World Cup, defeating Grandmaster Humpy Koneru 1½–½ in rapid tiebreaks in an all-Indian final held in Batumi, Georgia .
With this victory, she becomes India’s 88th Grandmaster and only the fourth Indian woman ever to hold that title .
Her win also qualifies her, Koneru, and Tan Zhongyi (3rd place) for the 2026 Women’s Candidates Tournament .
Grandmasters Susan and Judit Polgar publicly praised the rise of Indian chess, calling it “unbelievable” .
The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, extended his congratulations to Divya on her historic achievement .
