India’s chess success has received another major spotlight, with Divya Deshmukh being named Best Chess Player (Female) at the FIDE Excellence Awards.

The award recognises Divya’s title-winning performance at the Women’s World Cup over the past year, adding another milestone to the young Grandmaster’s rapidly growing career. Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov was named Best Chess Player (Male).

The awards were held following the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where Indian chess once again made its presence felt across multiple categories.

India Named Best Team

The recognition did not stop with individual honours. India’s open and women’s national teams were jointly named Best Team after recording the highest combined points among all participating countries.

The achievement came during another strong Olympiad campaign. India’s open team won the silver medal, while the women’s team secured bronze. Indian players also collected six individual medals, underlining the depth of talent within the country’s chess teams.

The All India Chess Federation (AICF) added another honour to India’s tally by finishing third in the Best Federation category.

Three Straight Nona Gaprindashvili Trophies

One of the biggest highlights for India was retaining the Nona Gaprindashvili Trophy for the third consecutive time. The trophy is awarded to the country with the best overall combined performance in the open and women’s sections of the Chess Olympiad. India had previously won it at the 2022 Chess Olympiad in Chennai and again at Budapest in 2024.

The latest triumph in Samarkand completed a remarkable three-edition streak. AICF president Nitin Narang described the achievement as a proud moment for Indian chess, while also highlighting the contribution of players, coaches, captains, support staff and families.

More Big Chess Moments Ahead

India’s chess calendar is far from slowing down. World champion D Gukesh is set to defend his title in a World Championship match in Geneva in November. Meanwhile, R Vaishali is preparing to challenge for the Women’s World Championship title early next year.

With major titles, team honours and individual breakthroughs arriving across international tournaments, Indian chess continues to produce moments that are drawing attention well beyond the chessboard.

And with Divya Deshmukh now carrying a major individual FIDE honour, another young Indian chess star has stepped firmly into the global spotlight.