Indian chess celebrity GM R Vaishali has once more engraved her name right into the document books by defending her FIDE Female’s Grand Swiss title in 2025, sealing direct qualification for the respected Candidates 2026 competition. The 24 -year-old attracted her final-round clash versus China’s Tan Zhongyi to completed with 8 factors from 11 rounds, enough to clinch the crown momentarily consecutive year. With this triumph, Vaishali has now end up being the 3rd Indian lady to qualify for the 2026 Prospects, signing up with Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh. While Humpy and Divya scheduled their locations through the FIDE Female’s World Mug previously, Vaishali has actually done so by showcasing amazing consistency on the Grand Swiss stage. Reflecting on her trip, Vaishali confessed that her path to this victory was much from simple. “I had a hard event in Chennai Past master. After Chennai, I determined against taking part in the Grand Swiss. I lost seven games in a row, it was difficult for me. In the last couple of weeks, I tried to alter a great deal of points. The Chennai Master results were way too much for me to take. Nevertheless, in a way, this Chennai experience is the factor I won the tournament,” she informed ChessBase India after her last game. This will certainly be Vaishali’s second appearance in the Women’s Candidates, validating her increase as one of the most consistent entertainers on the world phase. Though she has yet to draw up her competitive calendar, she meant taking time to plan thoroughly. “I have actually not prepared any kind of event yet. I will need to see what to do,” she included. Vaishali’s certification makes certain that India will contend least three strong representatives in the Candidates, a landmark minute for Indian women’s chess. For a nation that has long popular Viswanathan Anand’s impact on the sport, the introduction of Vaishali, Humpy, and Divya marks a brand-new period of prominence in women’s chess.