YOUNG Divya Deshmukh’s scintillating win over compatriot Koneru Humpy in the World Championship marks a glorious moment in Indian chess. It serves as a reminder to the world that India’s chess talent has transformed into an irresistible force, ready to conquer new peaks. Divya has become the latest postergirl of this revolution which is set to inspire another generation of youngsters to turn to the game of 64 squares and make themselves counted among the best sportspersons in the world. The Nagpur girl’s victory has given her the coveted Grandmaster title becoming only the fourth Indian woman to earn it.

 

Her performance in the World Championship oozed the confidence of a Grandmaster all through the tournament. And she deservedly earned the title along with a spot in the Candidates tournament. In the final, she was up against Humpy, a veteran with too many tricks up her sleeve. Literally double her age, Humpy held the aces before the final when 19-year-old brought out her best game to force a tie-breaker and held her nerves to win the fast-paced cliffhanger. India has got its new champion in the board game but more than that Divya has put a stamp of Indian dominance in the game of chess which is set to ring louder among the erstwhile powerhouses. In fact, with the victory in World Championships, Divya has underlined the tectonic shift in chess with India emerging as the next powerhouse. Not so long ago, the game was ruled by players from Russia, Georgia, Armenia and a few more. The World Championships in Batumi, Georgia saw the business-end field full of players from India and China. Four Indians -- Divya, Dronavali Harika, Humpy, R Vaishali -- were in the quarter finals competing against players from China. It was a massive statement from the Asians about the winds of change in chess.

 

Divya and Humpy further narrowed it down only to India, sending a subtle message that next crop of world beaters are set to keep the tricolour high. The event has capped a great change in Indian chess which has been on the rise in the last couple of decades. The pivot for this change is, without doubt, the legendary Viswanathan Anand. It was Anand whose tremendous performances forced the country and young kids to look at chess as a means to stardom. Anand brought a rare glamour for the board game as he went on conquering new horizons during his glittering career. The young talent that is bringing great glory to India in the last few years owe it to Anand who opened a new path for them in a game that was mostly confined to a hobby of the royalty. Taking ahead the hard work put in by the likes of Manuel Aaron, Viswanathan Anand made sure that chess gets the respect it deserves as a mainstream sport. India now boasts of some of the world beaters who are still in their early twenties.

 

D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Ergiasi are prominent performers in their league. They have proved their mettle in every format, even handing a shock defeat to the legendary Magnus Carlsen. The women have showed they are also not far behind in this thumping march. The seeds that Anand sowed have led to a silent revolution all over the country. Chennai was the first to hop on the bandwagon with chess training institutes but credit also is due for Maharashtra’s unsung chess players. Grandmaster Pravin Thipsay was among the early birds who kept the game alive in the State. His success in Commonwealth was a great fillip to chess in Maharashtra even as he toiled hard to popularise it across the country with the help of like-minded players like wife Bhagyashree Thipsay, Abhijit Kunte and Anup Deshmukh. Now, Nagpur is fast earning the label of a new chess nursery in the country. Divya Deshmukh’s success is a testament to this statement. Well played, champ!