Overview

• Indian Grandmaster Divya Deshmukh, aged 18 and hailing from Nagpur, defeated World No. 1 Hou Yifan in the second leg of the blitz semifinal at London’s FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships.
• Playing for Hexamind Chess Club, Deshmukh outmaneuvered Yifan in a 74-move encounter that proved decisive in securing India’s bronze medal in the blitz event.
• She achieved six wins, one draw, and one loss in blitz for a 2606 performance rating and followed with a 5–6–1 record in rapid to help India earn silver and an individual bronze on board six.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior leaders including Mansukh Mandaviya, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, and Devendra Fadnavis publicly lauded her achievement on social media.
• Her success has energised emerging talents and highlighted India’s growing presence in global chess.