New Delhi, Dec 29: Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Grandmaster Koneru Humpy for her remarkable achievement of winning the FIDE Women’s World Rapid Chess Championship twice in her career.
Humpy concluded an exceptional year for Indian chess by defeating Irene Sukandar from Indonesia to claim the title in New York on Sunday. She previously won this championship in 2019 in Georgia, making her the second player ever, after China’s Ju Wenjun, to win the title on multiple occasions.
“Congratulations to @humpy_koneru on her victory at the 2024 FIDE Women’s World Rapid Championship! Her determination and talent continue to inspire millions,” Modi expressed on X.
Humpy’s triumph adds to a remarkable year for Indian chess, which also saw D Gukesh defeating Ding Liren of China to become the classical World Champion recently in Singapore.
“This win is especially significant as it marks her second title in the world rapid championship, making her the only Indian to achieve this outstanding milestone,” remarked the PM.
Humpy expressed her hope that her success will encourage more Indians to pursue chess. “It’s an exciting time for India. With Gukesh as the world champion and my second world title in rapid chess, I believe many young people will be inspired to take up the sport professionally,” she stated. (Agencies)
