Indian Chess Stars Shine at Inaugural FIDE Excellence Awards in Uzbekistan
Indian Chess Stars Shine in Inaugural FIDE Excellence Awards
Samarkand, Uzbekistan – The chess world is abuzz as India’s brightest talents, including World Champion D. Gukesh, R. Praggnanandhaa, and Divya Deshmukh, vie for top honors at the inaugural FIDE Excellence Awards. Set to take place in September alongside the 46th Chess Olympiad, the awards celebrate outstanding achievements in the chess community over a two-year cycle.
Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, and fellow Indian Arjun Erigaisi are among the ten nominees for the prestigious Best Male Player award, competing against the likes of world number one Magnus Carlsen. Meanwhile, Divya Deshmukh, a World Cup winner, is in the running for Best Female Player alongside renowned competitors such as two-time world rapid champion Koneru Humpy and women’s Candidates winner R. Vaishali.
Both Gukesh and Divya have also been nominated for the Best Breakthrough Performance category, recognizing their remarkable global titles. The awards, established earlier this year, aim to honor excellence in chess and will cover achievements from September 2024 to August 2026.
The All India Chess Federation (AICF) has also received a nomination for Best Federation, highlighting India’s growing prominence in the chess arena.
The FIDE Excellence Awards Jury, appointed by the FIDE President in consultation with the FIDE Management Board, has meticulously selected nominees across eleven categories, including Best Tournament, Best Team, and Best Chess Initiative.
The official shortlists are as follows:
Best Chess Player (Male):
- Nodirbek Abdusattorov
- Fabiano Caruana
- Magnus Carlsen
- Arjun Erigaisi
- Alireza Firouzja
- Anish Giri
- Gukesh Dommaraju
- Vincent Keymer
- R Praggnanandhaa
- Javokhir Sindarov
Best Chess Player (Female):
- Bibisara Assaubayeva
- Divya Deshmukh
- Aleksandra Goryachkina
- Koneru Humpy
- Lei Tingjie
- Anna Muzychuk
- Tan Zhongyi
- Vaishali Rameshbabu
- Ju Wenjun
- Zhu Jiner
Best Tournament (Open):
- Abu Dhabi Chess Festival
- Aeroflot Open
- Dubai Open
- Grenke Freestyle Chess Open
- Open Chess Menorca
- Prague International Chess Festival Open
- Qatar Masters Open
- Reykjavik Open
- Sharjah Masters
- U.S. Open Chess Championship
Best Federation:
- Chinese Chess Association
- Colombian Chess Federation
- Georgian Chess Federation
- All India Chess Federation
- Italian Chess Federation
- Kazakhstan Chess Federation
- Chess Kenya
- Chess Federation of Serbia
- Turkish Chess Federation
- Uzbekistan Chess Federation
As the anticipation builds for the awards ceremony, the chess community eagerly awaits the results, which will be determined by a selection panel reviewing the nominees. With India’s young stars making waves on the global stage, the FIDE Excellence Awards promise to be a celebration of talent, dedication, and the spirit of chess.