by R. Vaishali scripted history in 2026 by becoming the first Indian woman to win the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament, earning the right to challenge Ju Wenjun for the Women’s World Championship. She secured the title with a brilliant final-round victory over Kateryna Lagno and finished with 8.5/14 points, despite entering as the lowest-rated player in the field.
Vaishali’s style of play is calm, positional, and highly resilient. She thrives in complex middlegames, shows excellent defensive discipline, and converts small advantages with remarkable precision. Her determination, consistency, and fearless mindset under pressure reflect true championship character. More than a personal triumph, her victory is a landmark moment for Indian women’s chess—bringing pride, inspiration, and a new wave of belief for the next generation of girls dreaming of global success.
R Vaishali became India’s 84th chess grandmaster. Her full name is Vaishali Rameshbabu. Vaishali Rameshbabu is only the third female Grandmaster from India after Koneru Humpy and Harika Dronavalli.
R Vaishali had received her third GM norm during the Qatar Masters tournament in October and she just had to increase her Elo rating. Vaishali Rameshbabu crossed 2500 Elo points to earn the grandmaster title at the 2023 Elllobregat Open in Spain. She is the sister of Indian chess grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa. They are world’s first brother-sister grandmasters in chess.
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