Indian chess prodigy R Vaishali recently achieved a significant milestone by joining her younger brother, R Praggnanandhaa, as the world’s first brother-sister Grandmaster duo. This accomplishment unfolded at the IV El Llobregat Open in Spain, where Vaishali surpassed the 2,500 ELO rating points, making her the 84th GM in India.
The 22-year-old Vaishali, hailing from Chennai, secured the milestone during the tournament in Spain, notably defeating Turkey’s Tamer Tarik Selbes in the second round. This victory marked her third GM norm, achieved at the Qatar Masters tournament in October, requiring a subsequent increase in her ELO rating.
Notably, Vaishali and Praggnanandhaa have also made history by being the first brother-sister duo to qualify for the Candidates, the pivotal event leading to the World Championship match, scheduled in Toronto next April. Praggnanandhaa had previously earned the GM title in 2018 at the age of 12.
India boasts two other female GMs, Koneru Humpy and D Harika, with Humpy earning the title in 2002 at the age of 15, becoming the youngest female GM globally. Chess legend Viswanathan Anand extended his congratulations to Vaishali through the social networking platform ‘X.’
Vaishali’s journey into chess was initiated by her father, Rameshbabu, who himself was a chess player, shaping a familial legacy in the realm of this strategic game.
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