Divya Deshmukh named best female player; India complete Nona Gaprindashvili Trophy hat-trick at Chess Olympiad

NEW DELHI: Indian chess grandmaster Divya Deshmukh was named Best Chess Player (Female) at the inaugural FIDE Excellence Awards in recognition of her outstanding performances over the past year, headlined by her spectacular victory at the Women’s World Cup, with India also completing a hat-trick of Nona Gaprindashvili Trophy triumphs. Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov was named Best Chess Player (Male).The award added to a strong showing by the Indian contingent, with the country’s Open and Women’s National Teams also recognised as Best Team for having the most combined points out of all natons in this 46th edition of Olympiad. The All India Chess Federation (AICF) finished third in the Best Federation category.India retained the Nona Gaprindashvili Trophy for the third consecutive Olympiad, following its victories at Chennai in 2022 and Budapest in 2024.The Open team won silver, while the Women’s team secured bronze, alongside six individual medals for Indian players.Reflecting on the achievements, AICF President Nitin Narang said, “This is an immensely proud moment for Bharat and for Indian chess. To bring home the Nona Gaprindashvili Trophy for the third consecutive Olympiad, along with silver in the Open section, bronze in the Women’s section and six individual medals, is a remarkable achievement. From Chennai to Budapest and now Samarkand, our players have consistently made the Tricolour fly high on the global stage. My heartiest congratulations to every member of Team India for once again making the entire nation proud.”Narang also pointed to the wider recognition earned by Indian chess, including Divya’s individual honour and the awards for the national teams, federation and chess content.“What makes Samarkand even more special is the recognition India has received across the wider chess ecosystem. From our players and national teams to the federation and chess content, Indian chess is making its presence felt across every dimension of the sport," he added."This is a celebration of the collective effort of our players, coaches, families, administrators, organisers, creators and the entire chess community. India is not only producing champions; we are building a chess ecosystem that is earning recognition across the world.”He also acknowledged the wider team behind India’s success.“Achievements of this magnitude are never individual efforts. Our captains, coaches, seconds and support staff have worked tirelessly behind the scenes, while the families and parents of our players have been an integral part of their journeys. Every member of this contingent has contributed to what India has achieved in Samarkand, and I congratulate and thank them all.”The Samarkand campaign also leaves Indian chess with two major World Championship contests to look forward to, with D Gukesh set to defend his crown and R Vaishali preparing to challenge for the Women’s World Championship.“Indian chess is going through an extraordinary phase, and there is much more to look forward to. In November, Gukesh will defend his World Championship crown in Geneva, and early next year, Vaishali will challenge for the Women’s World Championship," Narang added. "To have Indian players competing for the highest individual honours in both World Championship matches is a special moment for our country and speaks volumes about how far Indian chess has come. As they prepare for these defining contests, they will carry with them the hopes and best wishes of the entire nation.”Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.