Divya Deshmukh World Junior Chess Champion

Divya Deshmukh clinched the World Junior Chess Championship 2024 title on June 13 in Gandhinagar by defeating Bulgaria’s Beloslava Krasteva in a thrilling final round. This victory crowned her the undisputed champion. The International Master (IM) had previously overcome fellow Indian Sachi Jain in the penultimate round, amassing a total of nine points. At 18, Divya held a half-point lead over Armenia’s Mariam Mkrtchyan.

Among the 101 players from 27 countries, Divya and Krasteva were ranked among the top 20 junior girls according to FIDE ratings. Divya maintained her lead through the final five rounds in both the open and girls’ sections, starting the tournament as a strong favorite with 5.5 points.

Impressively, she remained unbeaten throughout the competition, ultimately claiming her first World Junior Girls’ Chess Championship title. Deshmukh’s stellar performance at the FIDE World Junior Championships in GIFT City, Gujarat, solidified her position as the favorite in the girls’ category.

In an interview with Sportskeeda, Divya Deshmukh shared insights into her chess journey. The 18-year-old from Maharashtra is not only an international master and Asian women’s chess champion but also ranks among the top 20 players globally.

Divya’s entry into chess was serendipitous. Reflecting on her beginnings, she said, “I got into chess very accidentally. My elder sister used to play badminton, and I was around 4 or 5 years old. My parents wanted me to join some sports, but I was too small to hold a racquet or hit a shot. There was a chess class right downstairs at the same time, so that’s how I got into chess.”

Her outstanding performance at the World Junior Girls’ Chess Championship highlights her as a rising star in the chess world, with a bright future ahead.

Re-reported from the article originally published in She the People.