Divya Deshmukh came to the star-studded Fide Women’s World Cup in Batumi, Gerogia, as a rank outsider, hoping to at least win one grandmaster norm in her journey to becoming a GM in the future.

The 19-year-old from Nagpur did something which even a few days back looked improbable. She beat some of the best and biggest names in the sport to achieve three major milestones within a span of around three weeks — secure a spot in the Candidates tournament next year, win the prestigious title and in the process, automatically become a grandmaster.

On Monday, Divya became the youngest to win the Women’s World Cup, outwitting compatriot Koneru Humpy in the tie-breaker of an all-Indian final.

At the beginning of the new millennium, Humpy, now 38, was the one who was breaking all barriers. She was challenging the men’s bastion, beating them consistently. Humpy is India’s first woman to become a grandmaster in 2002. Except for the World Cup and the Women’s World Championship, Humpy has won everything under the sun. On Monday though, she bowed to the exceptionally talented Divya, whose lightning moves made things difficult for her.

Becoming a GM is one of the toughest things in chess. A player needs to earn three norms in Fide-approved tournaments and cross the 2500 Elo rating. Divya, however, decided that she would not go through that grind.

Fide has a rule that winners of certain elite competitions can avoid the usual norm-and-rating route and become GMs directly. The Women’s World Cup is one of those events where the winner straightaway becomes a GM, if not already.

“I need time to process it (victory). I think it was fate that helped me get the grandmaster title this way because I didn’t even have one norm (coming into the event)... All I was thinking of was ‘Oh, when can I get my norm’, and now I’m a Grandmaster so...,” she said after the final.

The youngster had her mother, a doctor, by her side in her moment of glory.

She got emotional soon after beating the two-time world rapid champion and embraced her mother in a hug, sobbing all along.

“It’s hard for me to speak right now. It definitely means a lot, but of course there’s a lot more to achieve,” Divya said, her voice choking with emotion. “I’m hoping this is just the start.”

The victory came after the two classical games, played on Saturday and Sunday, ended in draws.

After the drawn games, it was the first set of tie-breakers that proved decisive as Humpy lost the battle of nerves. As fate would have it, the World Cup title eluded her again.

Divya showed steely resolve on Monday. She kept piling pressure on Humpy in the opening tie-breaker, tiring out her opponent and then going for the kill in the return tie-breaker. A quick decision maker, Divya put Humpy under time pressure, and that forced the latter to make an inexplicable error.

India's chess player Divya Deshmukh with her mother after winning the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025, in Batumi, Georgia. PTI

Divya’s biggest credit is that she did not evolve from any national-level talent hunt tournament — as did the likes of Surya Sekhar Ganguly, Sandipan Chanda or Parmimarjan Negi. And that’s what makes her ascent all the more unique. She came on her own and took everyone by surprise.

Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand hailed the teenager’s win and called it a “great celebration of Indian chess”.

“Congratulations to @Divyadeshmukh05 on winning the World Cup. Becoming GM and a spot in the candidates... @humpy_koneru played a very good event and showed a commendable fighting spirit. The great champion she is! It was a great celebration of Indian chess, particularly Women’s chess,” Anand wrote on X.

President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge hailed Divya’s triumph.