Indian Grandmaster and World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh is all set to make her Norwegian Women’s Chess debut in Oslo later this year. From May 25 to June 5, Deshmukh will become the youngest player to compete in the women’s tournament since its inception in 2024, underscoring her rapid rise on the global chess scene. Her participation follows a breakthrough season in which she dominated the Women’s World Cup in Batumi, securing the Grand Master title and earning a spot in the Candidates tournament. She will join reigning world blitz champion Bibisara Assaubaeva of Kazakhstan and defending Norwegian women’s chess champion Anna Muzychuk of Ukraine in a highly competitive field.
Expressing her excitement, Deshmukh said: “I’m incredibly excited to compete in Norwegian chess. It’s my first time in the country and I’m really looking forward to seeing what Norway is like. I can’t wait to experience this unique format and compete in such a prestigious tournament. To all my fans, thank you for your love and encouragement, see you all there.”
At just 19, Deshmukh recently became only the fourth Indian woman to win the Grandmaster title. Her achievements include individual and team gold medals for India at major international events, making her one of the best the most promising young competitors. Last year, Indian grandmasters Koneru Humpy and R. Vaishali clashed in the women’s section of the tournament in Stavanger, underscoring India’s strong position in the tournament.
Norwegian women’s chess will be held next to the main one Norwegian Chess Eventwhich has the same format, number of players, playing conditions and prize pool as its Open counterpart. The model has been praised for advancing gender equality in professional chess and offers Deshmukh the chance to compete on an equal footing with the world’s elite.
Benedicte Westre Skog, Chief Operating Officer of Norwegian Chess, welcomed Deshmukh saying, “India continues to produce outstanding young chess talent and Divya is a great example of this dynamic.” Skog added: “We are delighted to welcome her to the Norwegian Chess Women and look forward to engaging the growing Indian chess audience in her debut in Oslo.”
India’s R Praggnanandhaa, reigning World Rapid and Blitz Champion Magnus Carlsen and Germany’s Vincent Keymer will also participate in the Open event. The dual hosting of the tournaments in Oslo underlines the role of Norwegian chess as a premier world event and paves the way for Deshmukh’s milestone among the world’s best.
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
January 29, 2026
