It was not very long ago that women in Indian sport could not reach the pinnacle while competing at international level: be it any sport!! In fact, female participation in Indian sport itself was not much compared to women in the West. Reason: conservative parents who could not think of their daughters losing their youth in rough and tough of the highly competitive world of sport.
But two young girls, then, from Kerala, PT Usha and Shiny Abraham, the latter shifting to Chennai after being recruited by Southern Railway, slowly but surely brought about a transformation of this bleak scenario: proving that the sport of athletics was not for India’s men only but women could also excel at international level; atleast at Asian level as they did. Usha was unlucky to have missed an Olympic medal in hurdles. Shiny, a middle distance runner made India feel proud winning medals at Asian level. But more importantly this duo triggered interest and determination in our women to take to sports as a career and excel in the international arena too.
Thus, a new era gradually unfolded with Chennai girl Anju Bobby George excelling in long jump bagging a Bronze in the prestigious World championships at Paris ( France) in 2003. The Chennai settled talent did even better bagging Gold medal at World Athletics final at Monte Carlo in 2005.
It is common knowledge that from then on Indian sport saw more women talents emerging world champions in different sporting disciplines.
And presently another Chennai girl is at the threshold of becoming world champion in chess: Vaishali Rameshbabu reached great heights even as she came from a humble background in Chennai. Discipline, focus and consistent effort were the foundations of her climb to the top in the world of her chosen sport. She achieved the glory quietly through dedication.
If one wonders what does this phenomenal achievement of emerging the challenger to the reigning world champion Ju Wenjing later this year means, one can surmise that Vaishali has been quietly, going through a significant journey in modern Indian chess much like her Chennai compatriots D Gukesh had been before becoming the second world chess champion from this great city, after Viswanathan Anand. And now what is every chess player, not just in Tamil Nadu, but all over the country, is expecting – even hoping – is that Vaishali would be the first woman world champion from India. The last Indian woman to have fought for the world crown was Andhra’s Koneru Humpy in 2011. But Humpy failed at the last hurdles, as it were.
Vaishali’s rise has been significant: she became a GM in 2024. She won the women’s Grand Swiss title in 2023 and ‘25. She reached the Semi Finals of FIDE World Cup in 2023. The Chess Olympiad triumph added to her confidence in 2024. But post 2024 she suffered mental pressure, losing her winning ways. Her ranking slipped from being in top 20 in the world. “I even lost interest in playing then,” she said at that time. But Vaishali did not let things drift away: she trained even harder at Vishy Anand’s Academy, and gathered mental strength and steam again. This she proved at the Candidates tournament at Cyprus trouncing a few big players in 2026 April, and emerged the challenger to Ju Wenjing.
And significantly, as Vaishali will fight to to wrest the women’s world crown, her Chennai compatriots D Gukesh would be fighting to defend the men’s world crown which he had won two years ago.
Will it be double glory for Chennai – the citadel of chess in India?