India's chess revolution driven by youth

Till a few years ago, India had only one Viswanathan Anand to be proud of in world chess. Today, a handful of young Indian players have conquered the chessboard in both the men's and women's categories. The last link in that chain is 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh, who won the Women's World Chess Championship title in Batumi, Georgia the other day. In the past, there was a shortcoming that Indian players did not even reach the semi-finals of the Women's World Cup. India raised its head in Batumi by arranging a clash between two Indian players in the final and solving that shortcoming with interest. Divya won the World Cup by defeating the unique talent Koneru Humpy, who had attained the status of Grandmaster before she was born, in the tiebreaker of the final.

Divya had already checkmated a team of players who were far ahead of her in terms of age, experience and rating, before surpassing the current world champion Humpy in the rapid format. Entering the World Chess Championship stage, where grandmasters are aplenty, Divya, who entered as an international master at the World Cup stage, where grandmasters are in full swing, crossed the tiebreaker barrier three times in the seven rounds until she won the title. In the fourth round, she defeated Chinese Grandmaster Zhu Jiner and in the quarterfinals, Indian Grandmaster D. Harika, who was twice her age, in a tiebreaker. In the semifinals, Divya defeated former world champion Chinese player Tan Zhongyi. Divya has won the grandmaster title along with the World Cup and is eligible to participate in the Candidates Tournament to be held next year.

Gukesh Dommaraju, who became the world chess champion before turning 19, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, who achieved amazing victories in his teens, Vaishali, Arjun Erigaisi, Pranav Venkatesh, and Malayalis Nihal Sarin and S.L. Narayanan have given a great boost to Indian chess in recent times. The future generation, including the barely 10-year-old Malayali little genius Divi Bijesh, who won the title at the Junior World Cup held in Batumi, Georgia this month, where Divya was crowned, is also asserting that it is now India's time in the international chess arena.

India has been a force to be reckoned with in world chess in recent years. In the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Hungary, the Indian men's and women's teams, led by teenage players, won gold, D. Gukesh became the youngest world champion by defeating Ding Liren, and Koneru Humpy became the world rapid champion. The World Cup success of players including Divi Bijesh and Divya, and Pranav Venkatesh's Junior World Championship title this year are a continuation of this.

Divya's achievement will inspire more children to take up the chessboard. Kerala also has many chess talents. They are also showing their excellence at the international level. Efforts to make the chess league, which offers the highest prize money in India, a reality in Kerala are in the final stages. At the same time, it is also important to remind that the future of chess players in Kerala should not be jeopardised by the fragmented association politics due to power struggles. The government should take a sympathetic stance to provide facilities for playing chess in schools, libraries and city centres. Although the chess board and pieces do not cost much, the government and private sponsors should support the players, recognising that chess is a game that requires lakhs of rupees for expert foreign training when it reaches the international arena.