Divya Deshmukh Honoured with ₹3 Crore by Maharashtra CM
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday felicitated Indian chess prodigy Divya Deshmukh, handing her a cheque of ₹3 crore in recognition of her exceptional performance at the FIDE Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship 2023 held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
The 18-year-old from Nagpur emerged as the new World Champion in the rapid format in December 2023, becoming the youngest Indian woman ever to win the title. At a special ceremony held in Mumbai, CM Shinde praised Deshmukh’s remarkable contribution to India’s sporting excellence, calling her an inspiration to the youth of Maharashtra and the country.
The prize money, sanctioned from the Chief Minister’s discretionary fund, was described as a token of appreciation from the people of the state. Shinde lauded Divya not just for winning on the international stage but also for raising the profile of Indian chess globally.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and School Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar were also present at the event. Speaking at the event, Fadnavis stated that Divya’s win symbolised the rising strength of young Indian minds in fields beyond conventional academics and urged more young girls to follow her example.
Divya Deshmukh thanked the Maharashtra government for the support and said that such recognition motivates athletes to perform even better on global platforms. She also shared that her long-term goal remains to become a Grandmaster in the open category.
Divya’s recent win has been celebrated widely across India, and she continues to be viewed as a major face in the country’s growing chess ecosystem, which has seen a resurgence in recent years with stars like R Praggnanandhaa, D Gukesh, and Arjun Erigaisi.
