Mumbai, July 29: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday congratulated Divya Deshmukh on not only winning the 2025 FIDE Women's World Cup but also becoming a Grandmaster, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office. Divya, a 19-year-old rising sensation in the world of chess, became the first Indian woman to clinch the Chess World Cup after overwhelming Koneru on Monday evening in the final via tiebreaks. She became just the fourth Indian woman grandmaster and overall the 88th in the nation to clinch that title. ‘Historic Win’: Sachin Tendulkar Hails Divya Deshmukh on Winning India’s First FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025.

During the tense contest, a string of inaccuracies in the second rapid game contributed to Koneru's downfall. She found herself a pawn down in the rook endgame, which played out in Divya's favour. The veteran allowed the situation to sink in and resigned on the 75th move and fell short in a gripping final with a score of 2.5-1.5.

Narendra Modi Hails Divya Deshmukh

Divya failed to capitalise on the two windows that Koneru left open for her with her inaccurate moves. However, on the third time, Koneru inflicted more damage on herself by capturing the f pawn on move 69, which changed the tide in Divya's favour towards the final moments of the contest. FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025: Divya Deshmukh’s Family Members Express Delight on Her Memorable Win.

This time around, Divya made no mistake, played the right moves and forced Koneru to resign after six moves. Her eyes welled up with tears as she began to grasp the scale of her victory. She tried to compose herself, but soon became overwhelmed with emotions again after embracing her mother in a heartfelt moment.

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)