Vaishali Caps Historic Day for Indian Chess with Tokyo Triumph After Praggnanandhaa’s Norway Chess Glory

Mumbai, June 2026: Indian chess enjoyed a memorable double celebration as Grandmaster (GM) R. Vaishali clinched the title in the opening event of the WR Women’s Chess Tour in Tokyo, just hours after her younger brother, R Praggnanandhaa, became the first Indian to win the prestigious Norway Chess tournament.

The remarkable achievements by the Chennai siblings underscored India’s growing dominance on the global chess stage. While Praggnanandhaa was making history in Norway, Vaishali was producing a commanding performance in Japan to secure the women’s rapid title against a strong international field.

The 24-year-old Indian Grandmaster, who is also a World Championship challenger, emerged victorious in the eight-player rapid competition played with a time control of 15 minutes plus a 10-second increment per move. Vaishali finished ahead of a distinguished field that included former Women’s World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk, Kateryna Lagno, and Bulgaria’s former Women’s World Champion Antoaneta Stefanova.

Vaishali showcased consistency and composure throughout the knockout-format event. In the quarterfinals, she defeated Indonesia’s Irine Sukandar by winning one game and drawing the other to advance with a 1.5-0.5 scoreline.

She carried that momentum into the semifinals, where she overcame Kosteniuk by the same margin. Facing Kazakhstan’s Alua Nurman in the final, Vaishali once again displayed her class, securing a 1.5-0.5 victory over two games to lift the title.

The triumph marks another significant milestone in Vaishali’s rapidly progressing career and further strengthens her reputation as one of the leading women players in world chess. Having already secured the rapid crown, she will now aim to complete a memorable double when the blitz segment of the tournament begins on Sunday.

Earlier in the day, her brother Praggnanandhaa produced one of the finest comebacks seen in elite chess to capture the Norway Chess title. The 20-year-old Grandmaster defeated Germany’s Vincent Keymer in the final round to finish on 18 points and claim the championship along with the top prize of $100,000.

Praggnanandhaa ended one point ahead of American Grandmaster Wesley So, who finished second on 17 points. The Indian star’s triumph made him the first player from the country to win the prestigious Norway Chess crown.

With Vaishali’s success in Tokyo following immediately after Praggnanandhaa’s historic achievement in Norway, Indian chess celebrated a landmark day that highlighted the extraordinary rise of one of the sport’s most accomplished sibling duos.