India's R. Vaishali Makes History, Wins FIDE Women's Candidates

Indian Grandmaster R. Vaishali scripted history in Cyprus on April 15, becoming the first Indian woman to win the FIDE Women's Candidates Tournament and earning the right to challenge reigning World Champion Ju Wenjun of China for the Women's World Chess Championship crown later this year.

The 24 year old from Chennai clinched the title with a commanding final round victory over Russia's Kateryna Lagno, finishing with 8.5 points out of 14, edging Kazakhstan's Bibisara Assaubayeva by just half a point. Vaishali's triumph is particularly remarkable given she began the tournament as the lowest rated player in the field and found herself in last place after five rounds.

Her stunning resurgence in the second half, built on discipline, precision, and clutch performances, drew immediate comparisons to her brother D. Gukesh's iconic 2024 Candidates run, which culminated in him becoming World Chess Champion.

Legend Viswanathan Anand was among the first to celebrate the achievement, saying "I am so proud of her." Vaishali is only the second Indian woman to compete for the Women's World Championship title, following Koneru Humpy's 2011 challenge — a 15 year wait that Indian chess fans will be glad is finally over.
 

🇮🇳 Vaishali Rameshbabu speaks about the importance of support, expressing gratitude to her family, team, and sponsors ❤️♟️#FIDECandidates #FIDEWomensCandidates #FIDE #Chess #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/K4ORKnTOl3

— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) April 15, 2026