In a high-spirited ceremony in Nagpur, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis personally felicitated 19-year-old Grandmaster Divya Deshmukh, the newly crowned FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup champion. With her historic victory in Batumi, she became the first Indian woman to win the title and earned the prestigious Grandmaster status, becoming India’s 88th GM .
During the event, Fadnavis praised Divya’s exceptional discipline and poise, especially in an era full of distractions, and called her achievement a matter of immense pride for Nagpur and Maharashtra . He announced a cash award of ₹3 crore to honor her excellence and confirmed that the Maharashtra government would officially honor her contributions to sport .
Reflecting on her win over veteran GM Koneru Humpy in a fierce, all-Indian final decided in tie-breaks, Fadnavis highlighted how this victory elevated India’s standing in global women’s chess—a domain long dominated by China .
Divya, hailing from Nagpur just like the CM, expressed her gratitude and noted how special the occasion was. Her success, at such a young age, not only places her among India’s top chess talents but also establishes her as a true inspiration for aspiring players across the nation .
