Divya Deshmukh was born on December 9, 2005, in Nagpur, Maharashtra. From a young age, she showed remarkable intelligence and a passion for strategy.
She started playing chess at the age of 5, and quickly rose through the national ranks. Her early dedication and strong support from family played a key role in her journey.
She studied at Bhavan's Bhagwandas Purohit Vidya Mandir in Nagpur. While specific details of her higher education or graduation are not widely reported
In 2020, Deshmukh was part of the gold medal-winning Indian team at the FIDE Online Chess Olympiad.In 2022, she won the National Women's Chess Championship. She won an individual bronze medal at the 2022 Women's Chess Olympiad.
In 2023, Deshmukh won the Asian Continental Women. She came first in the Tata Steel Chess India Women's Rapid, despite being the lowest-rated player in the field. She defeated Harika Dronavalli, Vantika Agrawal, Koneru Humpy, Savitha Shri B, Irina Krush, and Nino Batsiashvili.
In May, Deshmukh was the winner of Sharjah Challengers, a large open tournament win that earned her a spot in the Sharjah Masters the following year. She became the fourth Indian to win the title Needing a win in the final round, she was the victor against Bulgaria’s third seed Beloslava Krasteva.
Divya has been felicitated by the Government of India and the Government of Maharashtra for her remarkable contributions to chess. Shiv Chhatrapati Award with Rs 1cr cashprize and many others.
Divya Deshmukh has achieved a monumental victory by winning the FIDE Women's Chess World Cup 2025 in Batumi, Georgia. This triumph also automatically earned her the prestigious Grandmaster title, making her India's 88th Grandmaster and only the fourth Indian woman to achieve this feat.
In the final of the FIDE Women's Chess World Cup 2025, Divya Deshmukh defeated her compatriot, the seasoned Grandmaster Koneru Humpy.
https://www.dnpindia.in/sports/the-youngest-king-d-gukesh-creates-history-chess-fraternity-reacts-to-his-stunning-world-chess-championship-victory-8437008