FIDE Awards shortlists: Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, Divya lead India's strong showing
Indian chess stars D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, and Divya Deshmukh have been shortlisted for the inaugural FIDE Excellence Awards. The awards recognize outstanding performances over a two-year cycle and will be presented in Uzbekistan.
Why it matters
This highlights India's growing dominance and global influence in the professional chess circuit.
India's dominance in world chess has found another major endorsement, with reigning world champion D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa and women's World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh leading a strong Indian contingent in the shortlist for the inaugural FIDE Excellence Awards.The International Chess Federation (FIDE) on Friday unveiled the nominees for the biennial awards, with Indian players, teams and the national federation earning recognition across several categories. The awards will be presented in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, alongside the 46th Chess Olympiad in September. Established earlier this year, the FIDE Excellence Awards celebrate outstanding achievements over a two-year cycle, with the inaugural edition covering performances from September 2024 to August 2026.Indians feature prominently across major award categoriesIndia's biggest representation comes in the Best Chess Player categories.World champion Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi have all been shortlisted for the Best Chess Player (Male) award.
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