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FIDE shortlists Indian chess stars for inaugural Excellence Awards
The inaugural FIDE Excellence Awards winners will be honored in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, during the 46th Chess Olympiad in September 2026.
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Bhavana P - Thu, 16, Jul 2026
- 13:16 EDT
- 43
(Top, L-R) Gukesh Dommaraju, Anish Giri, Arjun Erigaisi and R. Praggnanandhaa, (Bottom, L-R) divya deshmukh, vaishali rameshbabu and pentala harikrishna / Wikipedia
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has announced the shortlists for its inaugural FIDE Excellence Awards, with several Indian players earning nominations across multiple categories in recognition of their achievements on the global chess circuit.
The biennial awards, established in 2026, celebrate excellence across the international chess community over a two-year cycle. The inaugural edition recognizes accomplishments between September 2024 and August 2026, with winners to be announced in September during the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
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India has a strong presence in the Best Chess Player (Male) category, where reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju, Arjun Erigaisi, Anish Giri and R. Praggnanandhaa have been shortlisted alongside leading international grandmasters, including Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana.
In the Best Chess Player (Female) category, Divya Deshmukh and Vaishali Rameshbabu are among the 10 nominees recognized for their performances during the awards period.
Gukesh has also been shortlisted in the Best Breakthrough (Rookie of the Year) category, reflecting the remarkable rise that culminated in his becoming the youngest undisputed world chess champion. Divya has earned a second nomination in the same category following a series of standout performances that established her among the world's leading young players.
Veteran Grandmaster Pentala Harikrishna has been nominated in the Best Comeback category, recognizing his return to top-level form during the eligibility period.
The shortlists were finalized after a public nomination process held in June, followed by verification and selection by the FIDE Excellence Awards Jury, appointed by the FIDE president in consultation with the federation's Management Board and the FIDE Excellence Awards Working Group.
The selection process will now move to the FIDE Excellence Awards Panel, which will vote to determine the winners. The inaugural award recipients will be honored during the official ceremony in Samarkand in September.
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