PM hails Vaishali Rameshbabu’s FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 win

In a remarkable show of grit, determination, and strategic brilliance, India’s Grandmaster R. Vaishali Rameshbabu has etched her name yet again into the annals of chess history by defending her title at the FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss 2025. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated her, calling her achievement “outstanding” and praising her passion and dedication as exemplary.

A Title Successfully Defended

Vaishali’s win in the 2025 Women’s Grand Swiss marks the second consecutive year she has claimed the title. This back-to-back victory underscores her consistency at the highest level in women’s chess.

Held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, over 11 intense Swiss-system rounds, the tournament tested Vaishali against some of the best female players globally. She ended the tournament with a score of 8 out of 11. While she shared the same numerical score as Kateryna Lagno, she edged her out on the first tie-break criterion (average rating of opponents minus the lowest) to claim the top spot. In the final round, Vaishali held former Women’s World Champion Tan Zhongyi to a draw with the black pieces — a hard-fought game that secured not just the title but a place in the Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026.

Significance of the Victory

This victory carries multiple layers of importance:

• Historical Achievement: She becomes the first Indian player to successfully defend the Women’s Grand Swiss title.
• Talent and Resilience: Despite strong competition and pressure in the closing rounds, she demonstrated maturity and discipline. Holding Tan Zhongyi in a final-round game is no easy task, given Tan’s championship pedigree.
• Qualification Impact: With this win, Vaishali has secured her berth in the 2026 Women’s Candidates Tournament. This gives her the opportunity to vie for a shot at the Women’s World Championship under the official qualification path.
• Boost to Indian Chess: Along with other Indian women like Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh, Vaishali’s performance reinforces India’s rising stature in women’s chess on the global stage.

PM’s Message

Prime Minister Modi took to X (formerly Twitter) to congratulate Vaishali, declaring:

“Outstanding accomplishment. Congrats to Vaishali Rameshbabu. Her passion and dedication are exemplary. Best wishes for her future endeavours.”

Through his message, the PM not only lauded her victory but emphasised the values behind the triumph — her dedication, her love for the game, and her perseverance.

Journey Through the Grand Swiss

To truly understand the magnitude of her win, a glance at the tournament journey is illuminating:

• In earlier rounds, Vaishali built momentum, winning key matches and steadily accumulating points to become a top contender.
• Her only loss came against Bibisara Assaubayeva, but she showed remarkable comeback ability by stabilizing in subsequent rounds.
• The penultimate round saw a critical victory over Mariya Muzychuk, which pushed her into a stronger tie-break position.
• In the final round, Vaishali, with Black pieces against Tan Zhongyi, chose a solid line, defended accurately in a queenless middlegame, sacrificed a pawn at the right moment, and transitioned into a defendable endgame with rooks and opposite coloured bishops. Despite some pressure, she held the draw that was needed.

These details highlight her strategic depth, her ability to stay calm under pressure, and her mental toughness.

What Next for Vaishali and Indian Chess

With her qualification for the Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026, Vaishali gets a chance to challenge for the World Championship cycle. The competition at the Candidates will be fiercer, and the stakes much higher. But this repeat win gives her both confidence and a platform.

For Indian chess, this win adds to the growing tradition of excellence in both men’s and women’s circuits. It may inspire a new generation of girls who see in Vaishali, Humpy, Deshmukh, and others, role models who show that the world chess stage is reachable. Additionally, it will likely put more focus on training infrastructure, support, and exposure for women players.