Kerala’s rising chess prodigy, Divi Bijesh, has added yet another major title to her growing list of international achievements by winning the Under-10 Girls’ Rapid event at the ongoing Asian Youth Chess Championship in Thailand.
The 10-year-old from Thiruvananthapuram scored six points out of seven rounds to clinch the title, reaffirming her dominance on the international stage and continuing a winning streak that has positioned her among the brightest emerging talents in world chess.
This latest achievement comes just days after her triumph at the Commonwealth Chess Championship 2025 in Malaysia, where she competed in the Under-12 Girls category. Despite playing above her age group, Divi rose to the challenge and emerged champion.
“She had taken part in the Commonwealth event just a week earlier and then immediately moved into the Asian Youth Championship circuit,” says her father, Bijesh S, speaking from Thailand. “Playing in a higher age group never affected her confidence. The Asian Youth Championship has three formats — Rapid, Standard and Blitz — and she won the Rapid title. The other two events are still going on, and now our focus is on finishing the remaining rounds with the same determination.”
The year has become a landmark phase in her young career. Divi has already collected multiple global distinctions across major tournaments. She became the Under-10 Girls World Cup Champion, the first Indian girl in this age group to hold the title. She then added the World Cadet Rapid Championship, and finished runner-up in both the World Cadet Blitz Championship and the World Schools Chess Championship.
These achievements have pushed her medal count to over 75 across international, national and state levels. In January, she was awarded the Woman Candidate Master title by the international chess body FIDE, making her the youngest girl from Kerala to receive the distinction — an honour many players achieve only in their teens.
Reflecting on her recent victories, Divi says: “Some games were really tough, but I got good positions in many of them by playing attacking chess. This time there are nine rounds. Five more to go, and I hope to give my best. It has been a great experience, and I am happy with how I have played so far. It’s always a special feeling to win medals for the country.”
Having participated in so many events, Divi says she has overcome the phase of getting tensed before major matches. “I just enjoy the games, don’t think much about it,” she says.
Her success and confidence are the result of sustained effort. A fan of Magnus Carlsen, Divi puts in three to four hours of practice every day, balancing her training with her academic schedule at Alan Feldman Public School, Kazhakkoottam, Thiruvananthapuram.
Yet the journey has not been without challenges. International chess entails significant expenses for travel, coaching, accommodation and tournament participation, especially with Divi competing abroad so frequently, her father points out.
“We have reached out to government agencies and many sponsors, but we have not yet received the support needed for her to continue in a stable, professional way. We are trying our maximum, but the future is still uncertain. Chess can be an expensive game. If we get the support, we definitely want to move forward professionally and help her reach the Grandmaster level,” Bijesh says.
(By Parvana KV of The New Indian Express)
