Thiruvananthapuram, April 21, 2025: Nine-year-old chess sensation Divi Bijesh from Kerala has made the nation proud by winning both gold and silver medals at the prestigious FIDE World Cadet & Youth Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships held in Rhodes, Greece.
Representing India in the Under-10 girls category, Divi delivered an outstanding performance in the Rapid section, scoring 10 out of 11 points to clinch the gold medal — notably, the only gold won by India in the entire tournament. She further showcased her consistency and skill by earning the silver medal in the Blitz section.
Hailing from Thiruvananthapuram, Divi began her chess journey at the age of seven, learning the basics from her elder brother, Devanath. A student of Allen Feldman Public School, Kazhakoottam, she currently trains under coach Sreejith of Master Chess Academy.Divi has represented India on the international stage, winning 9 gold, 5 silver, and 3 bronze medals. So far, Divi has won over sixty titles across various competitions. The next goal is to compete in the upcoming World Cup to be held in Georgia.
Earlier this year, she was awarded the Woman Candidate Master (WCM) title by FIDE, becoming the youngest girl from Kerala to achieve this distinction.
Divi is the daughter of Bijesh and Prabha from Thiruvananthapuram. Her remarkable achievements at the world stage underline not only her exceptional talent but also the growing prominence of Indian and Kerala youth in international chess.