Becoming a GM is one of the toughest things in chess as a player needs to earn three GM norms in FIDE-approved events and cross the 2500 rating.
IMAGE: While winning the FIDE Women’s World Cup in Batumi, Georgia, on Monday, Divya Deshmukh became the fourth Indian woman to earn the Grandmaster title. Photograph: FIDE/Anna Shtourman
Divya Deshmukh came to the star-studded FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025 in Batumi, Georgia, as an underdog, hoping to at least win one Grandmaster norm in her journey to become a GM in the future.
Little did the 19-year-old from Nagpur know that she would beat some of the best and biggest names in the sport to achieve three major milestones in a span of around three weeks — secure a spot in the Candidates tournament next year, win the prestigious title, and in the process, automatically become a Grandmaster.
While becoming a GM is one of the toughest things in chess as a player needs to earn three GM norms in FIDE-approved events and cross the 2500 rating, things fell in place for the talented Nagpur player.
FIDE has a rule that the winners of certain elite competitions can avoid the usual norm-and-rating route and become GMs directly. The Women’s World Cup is one of those FIDE events where the winner straightaway becomes a GM if not already.
“I need time to process it (victory). It think it was fate me getting the Grandmaster title this way because I didn’t even have one norm (coming into the event) and all I was thinking of was ‘Oh, when can I get my norm’, and now I’m a Grandmaster so…,” said Deshmukh, who beat compatriot Koneru Humpy to emerge winner.
The youngster had her mother, a doctor, by her side in her moment of glory.
She got emotional soon after beating Humpy, a two-time World Rapid champion, and embraced her mother in a heartfelt hug, sobbing all along.
“It’s hard for me to speak right now. It definitely means a lot, but of course there’s a lot more to achieve,” said Deshmukh. “I’m hoping this is just the start.”
The achievement made Deshmukh only the fourth Indian woman to become a GM after Humpy, Dronavalli Harika and R Vaishali.
