18/06/2026
♟️ KNOW YOUR GM | GM Vaishali Rameshbabu
Every chess player dreams of reaching the highest level. Few actually do it.
GM Vaishali Rameshbabu is one of those rare players whose journey shows what happens when talent meets discipline, resilience, and years of relentless hard work.
Born in Chennai, India, Vaishali was introduced to chess at a young age and quickly established herself as one of the country's brightest young talents. She won the World Youth Girls Under-12 Championship in 2012 and the World Youth Girls Under-14 Championship in 2015, announcing her arrival on the international stage long before becoming a Grandmaster.
One of the most remarkable moments of her early career came when she was just 12 years old, defeating a young Magnus Carlsen in a simultaneous exhibition in Chennai. While it was not an official tournament game, it became an unforgettable milestone in her chess journey.
Her rise, however, was not built on a single victory.
Like every strong player, Vaishali spent years competing in national championships, international opens, and elite tournaments. She earned her Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title in 2018, became an International Master (IM) in 2021, and finally achieved the prestigious Grandmaster (GM) title in 2023 after crossing the 2500 rating mark and completing all required norms.
With that achievement, she became only the third Indian woman Grandmaster, joining the legendary ranks of Koneru Humpy and Harika Dronavalli.
Yet her greatest successes were still ahead.
In 2023, Vaishali won the FIDE Women's Grand Swiss, one of the strongest women's tournaments in the world, earning qualification for the Women's Candidates Tournament. She repeated the feat again in 2025, proving that her first victory was no coincidence.
Then came the defining moment.
In 2026, Vaishali won the FIDE Women's Candidates Tournament, defeating some of the strongest players in the world and securing the right to challenge reigning World Champion Ju Wenjun for the Women's World Chess Championship.
Beyond her individual achievements, Vaishali is also part of chess history. Together with her younger brother, GM R Praggnanandhaa, they became the first brother-sister duo in the world to both earn the Grandmaster title.
Her story is especially inspiring because it reflects the path that many young players are walking today. She started with local events, worked through national competitions, earned her rating, achieved titles one step at a time, and continued pushing forward through both victories and setbacks.
For students, parents, and aspiring chess players, Vaishali's journey carries an important lesson:
Success in chess is rarely about one brilliant tournament.
It is about showing up every day, learning from losses, trusting the process, and continuing to move forward even when results don't come immediately.
Today, GM Vaishali Rameshbabu stands among the strongest women chess players in the world and serves as a powerful reminder that the distance between a young student and the world stage is not as impossible as it once seemed.
It is simply a journey of thousands of well-played moves. ♟️
