India's Vaishali Wins Women's Candidates in Comeback Story

When everything needed to go right for R Vaishali on the final day of the Women's Candidates chess tournament in Cyprus, it did.

The 24-year-old Indian grandmaster secured victory in one of chess's most prestigious tournaments, earning her shot at the World Championship title against reigning champion Ju Wenjun. Only one other Indian woman, Koneru Humpy, has reached this level in the sport's history.

The victory feels even sweeter because Vaishali entered as the lowest-rated player in the eight-woman field, ranked over 100 points below top-seeded Zhu Jiner. "The last two years have not been the best for me. I dropped a lot of rating," Vaishali admitted at the press conference. "But I knew at my best, I can fight with all of them on equal terms."

After five rounds, Vaishali sat in dead last. By the tournament's end, those same players who had been ahead of her finished at the bottom while she claimed the top spot.

This wasn't Vaishali's first dramatic comeback. Two years ago at the Toronto Candidates, she lost four straight games to land in last place after nine rounds, then won her final five games in a row and nearly won the entire tournament.

Heading into the final round in Cyprus, Vaishali was tied at the top with Kazakhstan's Bibisara Assaubayeva. The situation favored Bibisara because her opponent, Indian compatriot Divya Deshmukh, had been struggling badly with four losses in her last five games.

But Divya shook off her recent form and held Bibisara to a draw. That result meant Vaishali controlled her own destiny in her final game against Kateryna Lagno.

Why This Inspires

Vaishali's three-year run shows what persistence looks like when talent meets determination. She's won the FIDE Grand Swiss tournament twice and helped India claim the Women's Olympiad in 2024.

Her brother Praggnanandhaa competed in the men's Candidates at the same event, making them a historic sibling pair. Even five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand had called Vaishali only a "dark horse" before the tournament began, rating five other players ahead of her.

The turnaround from last place to champion didn't happen by accident. Vaishali proved that ratings and predictions matter less than showing up ready to fight when it counts most.

India now celebrates its second woman ever competing for chess's ultimate crown.