Born on June 21, 2001, in Chennai, Rameshbabu Vaishali is an Indian chess player who boasts the esteemed FIDE titles of International Master (IM) and Woman Grandmaster (WGM). She is in the news as her brother finished second in the FIDE World Chess Cup.

Hailing from a Tamil family in Chennai, Vaishali was born as the elder sibling of Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa. Her father, Rameshbabu, holds the position of a branch manager at TNSC Bank, while her mother, Nagalakshmi, is dedicated to homemaking.

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Vaishali has already reached significant milestones in her chess journey. She secured victory at the Girls’ World Youth Chess Championship in the Under-12 category in 2012, followed by another triumph in the Under-14 category in 2015. The year 2016 brought her the distinction of Woman International Master (WIM), while 2018 marked her attainment of the title of Woman Grandmaster (WGM), achieved through her final norm at a tournament in Riga, Latvia.

Also Read: Who are Rameshbabu and Nagalakshmi? Details about Praggnanandhaa parents

In 2020, Vaishali’s participation in the Online Olympiad led to a historic gold medal for the Indian team, marking the nation’s first-ever medal in the event. Her continuous progress was evident in 2021 as she earned the title of International Master (IM).

The year 2022 saw Vaishali securing her second Grandmaster norm by claiming victory at the 8th Fischer Memorial tournament. Demonstrating her prowess, she outplayed notable chess players, including Bibisara Assaubayeva and Harika Dronavalli, in the FIDE Women’s Speed Chess Championship.

Beyond her individual accomplishments, Vaishali’s contributions extended to team play. Serving on Board 3 for the Indian Women’s team during the 44th Chess Olympiad, she played a pivotal role in the team’s achievement of a bronze medal.

Continuing her impressive performance, Vaishali participated in the Tata Steel Challengers 2023, where she achieved notable wins against highly ranked Grandmasters. Her exceptional showing earned her the twelfth spot in the overall standings.

As Vaishali continues her pursuit of the Grandmaster title, she stands as an inspiration for budding chess players, particularly women, and is dedicated to elevating the status of chess in India through her remarkable contributions.

Also Read: Who is Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa?

Vaishali embarked on her chess journey as a way for her parents to divert her attention and reduce her TV viewing time. She mentions, “When I was 6 or 7 years old, I used to watch a lot of TV, so my parents decided to put me in chess and drawing classes near our home. Then, I just went for a tournament and got the youngest participant prize in my first event.” This prize attracted her to the sport and since then, chess has been a constant part of Vaishali’s life.

The emerging talent received consistent support from her educational institutions, including Velammal Matriculation Higher Secondary School and MOP Vaishnav Institute. Her accomplishments in sports led to an early offer of admission to the Bachelor of Commerce program at MOP Vaishnav Institute, even before she received her 12th Standard results.

“My dad is a bank manager and has been incredibly supportive, managing everything for me except the travel aspect,” Vaishali shared. Her father’s earlier encounter with polio has affected his ability to travel with her. However, he makes up for this by overseeing arrangements like travel tickets and accommodations. Her mother also plays an active role, accompanying Vaishali and preparing Indian meals for her during tournaments. This demonstrates the collaborative effort of both parents in nurturing their daughter’s career.

Amidst the pandemic, Vaishali participated in the Women’s Speed Chess Championship. Reflecting on this experience, she mentioned, “I took part in 5 qualifiers and really wanted to secure a spot (in the event). Finally, in my fifth attempt, I managed to qualify and made it to the Top 20 Grand Prix. Competing against the top female players was an incredible highlight of last year.”