Divya Deshmukh starts chuckling as she talks about her ‘Messi moment’ in Batumi.
In the heady hours after she became the FIDE Women’s World Cup champion — simultaneously sealing her Grandmaster title in one shot and securing a spot at the Women’s Candidates event — she was briefly confronted with a problem: how to pose with her trophy for Instagram.
Then, Lionel Messi came up with an assist: Divya remembered three photos the Argentine legend had posted snuggling the World Cup Trophy in bed that garnered over 50 million likes. It’s a photo that has been recreated by multiple athletes like Spanish footballer Jenni Hermoso after winning the FIFA World Cup.
“I saw this picture long ago from Messi. So yeah, it was definitely inspired by Messi,” Divya tells The Indian Express. “I also wanted to click one while I was sleeping next to the trophy (like the original photo from Messi). But unfortunately, I was so tired, I just fell asleep.”
Remind her that the trophy is hers to keep so she can recreate it any day, and she smiles: “I’m thinking maybe I’ll do it with the next trophy.”
Since that title in Batumi, the teenager’s fame has shot through the roof. Everyone wants to be a part of her success: union ministers and state chief ministers have video-called her. She’s been invited to the country’s capital for an audience with the sports minister. There were so many messages on her phone across apps that she’s lost count now.
“There were too many of them. Unfortunately, I still haven’t gotten back to most of them. I’m just one person. It’s taking me a lot of time. But I’m so grateful that there were a lot of messages,” she says.
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Divya’s coronation as Indian chess’ next big thing happened in Nagpur, complete with a road show in front of thousands of residents, just like Chennai welcomes its chess sons after world-conquering feats in distant lands. She’s still as tired as she was in Batumi a week back; her time is at a premium now as wave after wave of felicitation events and well-wishers dropping by at her home keep her occupied.
“When I landed in Nagpur, seeing the crowd that showed up, particularly so many kids, that was very special for me,” she says before adding: “But among all of that, the most enduring moment came on August 2 (at the event where she was felicitated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis). When I entered, I saw at least 50 percent of the crowd were kids and they were all cheering my name. It just felt like such a nice moment.”
A guide remembered
Amidst all the hype, Divya’s been keen to share the spotlight. At the Nagpur roadshow, she held up a framed photo of her first coach Rahul Joshi, who passed away a few years back. She even dedicated her grandmaster title to him. Joshi was, after all, the first believer in Divya’s talent, a man who convinced her parents and Divya herself that she could be one of the best.
Divya reveals that she was just six or seven years old when Joshi had prophesied that she would become a grandmaster one day. So convinced was Joshi of his prediction that he made the then seven-year-old sign a declaration on a piece of paper that she would become a GM by the age of 14 or 15.
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“He was the guiding force behind my career since I was too small to understand. He was guiding my parents too, telling them how things work in the chess world. He was the one who pushed me to play at the state championship and then the Nationals. When I won my first Nationals, both my parents and I were not even aware that the Nationals lead to the Asian Championships and World Championships; or that there were events like Asian Championships and World Championships in the sport. For my first age-group Championship, he came along with me and the experience was quite surreal.
“From my childhood, the grandmaster title was something that he knew I was eventually going to achieve. If he was here today, he would have been very happy,” Divya says.
It was at those age-group tournaments, Divya says, that she picked up the attributes that make her among the best today. Like her ability to never agree to draws. Her aggression on the chessboard. The mentality of never being overawed by the occasion, no matter how big.
“What has helped me the most in my career was playing in age-category events. Usually in the last round of these events, it was quite crucial because either you get a medal or you just come fourth or something. So, it was in those events that I learned how to manage my nerves and I always wanted to aim for the gold. I think I got my fighting spirit to never give up from there. That is the one thing that has helped me a lot,” she adds.
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India’s moment
Ask her if there is one moment from her career — barring the FIDE World Cup title — that stands out for her and defines her career, and she replies: “I don’t think one moment would ever be enough, right?”
The World Cup triumph was not just a crowning moment for Divya, it was a turn-of-the-page moment for Indian chess, particularly women’s chess, perfectly captured by the sight of two Indian women, Divya and Koneru Humpy, fighting for the title while two Chinese players fought for third place on the next board.
“When I initially got to know that Humpy is the one who is in the final with me, I was very happy for India and Indian chess. Especially young girls who may be looking to take chess as a sport. I knew that either way, the trophy was coming to India.
“In the last two-three years, it has been quite an uprising for Indian chess. India — thanks to everything others like Gukesh, Pragg, Arjun (Erigaisi), Nihal (Sarin) have done — has definitely proven that we are here to stay,” she adds.
