From a childhood simul against Magnus Carlsen to the world title match
In short: In 2013, a 12-year-old girl in Chennai faced a future World Champion in a simultaneous exhibition. Today, Vaishali Rameshbabu is the one preparing to face the world. Her meteoric rise from a local prodigy to a dominant force in international chess is a masterclass in elite progression.
Born in Chennai in 2001, Vaishali Rameshbabu has carved out a unique place in chess history as part of the first brother-sister duo to both hold the Grandmaster title. Alongside her younger brother, R Praggnanandhaa, she has become a cornerstone of India's burgeoning chess dominance. Her early career was marked by rapid success, including winning the Girls' World Youth Chess Championship in both the Under-12 (2012) and Under-14 (2015) categories, and securing consecutive National Junior Girls titles in 2015 and 2016.
Her ascent to the global stage was defined by consistent high-level performance. By late 2016, she was already ranked as the world's No. 12 girl U16 player with an Elo rating of 2300. She eventually became the first female Grandmaster from Tamil Nadu, achieving the title in 2018 after completing her final norm in Latvia. Her career has been punctuated by major milestones, such as winning the FIDE Women's Grand Swiss Tournament in both 2023 and 2025, and securing a gold medal for India at the 45th Chess Olympiad.
The stakes have now reached their peak. After finishing 4th in the 2024 Women's Candidates Tournament—a run featuring an incredible comeback of five consecutive wins—she triumphed in the 2026 edition. This victory earns her the right to challenge Ju Wenjun for the Women's World Chess Champion title in 2027. Her journey reflects a shift in the sport's geography, moving the center of gravity toward India's coastal chess hubs.
Beyond individual accolades, Vaishali has been a vital team asset. She contributed to India's first-ever medal at the Online Olympiad in 2020 and played a key role in the team that secured the first-ever gold medal for India in the Women's Chess Olympiad in 2024.
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