Divya Deshmukh Creates History, Becomes First Indian Woman to Win FIDE Women’s World Cup

Baku: In a sensational triumph that stunned the chess world, 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh has become the first Indian woman to win the prestigious FIDE Women’s World Cup, defeating legendary compatriot Koneru Humpy 1.5–0.5 in the rapid tie-breaks of the all-Indian final held in Baku.

The classical games played over the weekend ended in tightly fought draws, with both players demonstrating elite skill and nerves of steel. On Saturday, Divya, with the white pieces, built a strong position but allowed Humpy to equalise in the endgame. Sunday’s second game was evenly poised, with Divya admitting she “wandered into trouble for no apparent reason” before managing to hold.

However, the tie-breaks proved decisive. The first rapid game ended in a draw, but in the second, Humpy — a two-time World Rapid Champion and world No. 5 — faltered under time pressure. Seizing her moment, Divya capitalised on critical blunders and delivered a commanding win, clinching the title and making history.

“It was fate,” an emotional Divya said after the final. “Before the tournament, I was thinking that I could maybe earn a Grandmaster norm here. And at the end, I became a Grandmaster.”

With this victory, Divya not only lifted the World Cup but also became the fourth Indian woman to achieve the Grandmaster title and the country’s 88th Grandmaster overall. Her underdog story has captured the imagination of the chess community — she entered the tournament ranked No. 18 in classical, No. 22 in rapid, and No. 18 in blitz on the FIDE women’s list.

This win adds to a growing list of achievements for the Nagpur teenager, who won the World Junior Championship last year and played a key role in India’s gold-medal-winning team at the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Budapest, where she also secured an individual gold on her board.