Chess | The banana survives in Batumi; India gets its first-ever Women’s World Cup champion in Divya Deshmukh

Alright, humans witness history — but turns out, bananas do too.

When 19-year-old — yep, just 19 — Divya Deshmukh bagged the Women’s World Cup chess title, becoming the first Indian woman ever to do so, she wasn’t just crowned a champion. She became the embodiment of grace under pressure, the queen of calm in chaos.

And through it all? A banana witnessed the whole thing. Just sitting there. Untouched. Iconic. Turns out, that banana had front-row seats to history. While the crowd held their breath and even the evaluation bar broke into a sweat, Divya kept her cool — with the unpeeled fruit as her only courtside companion. No coach in sight, no nervous glances. Just quiet, killer focus.

The final game? A nail-biter. She played with the black pieces, against none other than Koneru Humpy — a legend, twice her age. The board was on fire, clocks ticking like time bombs, both queens fighting to stay on top. One wrong move and poof — it could all fall apart.

But Divya? She danced through that pressure like she was playing bullet chess on a Sunday afternoon. And when Humpy finally resigned, it wasn’t just a win. It was a coronation. India’s 88th Grandmaster. First-ever Women’s World Cup chess champion. All that — and no GM norms coming in.

And the banana? Still uneaten.

When someone asked her about it, she laughed, “What else am I gonna do with it? I’m going to eat it… obviously.” But plot twist — she never does. Because relaxation is a luxury in games like these. And that banana? It became her talisman. Her little piece of calm amid the storm.

Now, while she may not have taken a bite of it, Divya's got something sweeter — a gold medal, history made, and a whole nation cheering her on.

Also, someone give that banana a trophy too. .
**This news was pubished on Times of India, on 29th July, 2025.

 

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