WGM Vantika Agrawal Climbs to No. 3 in India’s Women Chess Players
Vantika Agrawal, a student of SRCC, has made a significant leap in her chess career, as she has increased her FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs) rating by 61 points, bringing her to a rating of 2428. This achievement has propelled her to become the No. 3 woman player in India, and she hopes to be selected for the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
In the last two months, Vantika has participated in four international tournaments and achieved her 3rd and final IM norm in Budapest, making her the 11th Indian woman to achieve the International Master (IM) title in chess.
Her recent successes include winning the women’s championship at the Menorca Open in Spain, as well as winning bronze at the national women’s championship in Kolhapur in January and a gold medal for the Airport Authority of India in February.
In 2021, Vantika achieved the Woman Grand Master title, became the national champion, and won gold for SRCC in the FIDE Binance B-Schools Cup. Last year, she played on Board 1 for India 2 Team at the 44th Chess Olympiad, and in 2020, she was part of the Indian gold medal-winning team in the Olympiad.
Her excellent performance in chess has earned her accolades from notable figures in India, including recognition from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the President’s Award from former Indian President Pranab Mukherjee for excellence in sports.
Re-reported from the story originally published in Hindustan Times
