PM Modi Hails Vaishali Rameshbabu’s Triumph At FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss

Indian Grandmaster Vaishali Rameshbabu clinched the FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss title for the second consecutive year in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Monday, securing her spot in the Women’s Candidates Tournament. The 24-year-old achieved the victory after a hard-fought draw against former world champion Zhongyi Tan of China in the final round, finishing with eight points out of a possible 11. Vaishali’s triumph, marked by six wins, one loss, and four draws, edged out Russia’s Kateryna Lagno on tiebreak scores to claim the top spot.

Vaishali’s win underscores India’s growing dominance in global chess, with the nation now boasting three women in the Candidates Tournament, alongside Divya Deshmukh and Koneru Humpy, who qualified through the Women’s World Cup. The Candidates winner will challenge for the world women’s chess title, a milestone Vaishali aims to reach, following in the footsteps of her brother, R. Praggnanandhaa, who also qualified for the men’s Candidates. Her previous Grand Swiss victory in 2023 in the Isle of Man further highlights her consistency at the elite level.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Vaishali’s achievement, calling it an “outstanding accomplishment” in a post on X. He lauded her passion and dedication, wishing her success in future endeavours. Modi also congratulated Anandkumar Velkumar for winning India’s first gold in the Senior Men’s 1000m Sprint at the 2025 Speed Skating World Championships, noting his grit and spirit as an inspiration for young athletes.

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In the open section of the Grand Swiss, Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri won with eight points, defeating Hans Moke Niemann of the United States. Germany’s Matthias Bluebaum is likely to join Giri in the men’s Candidates. With India’s chess prowess on full display, Vaishali’s victory signals a bright future for the nation’s women in the sport, as they aim to make history on the global stage.

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