Queens of the Board: Meet 5 Rising Female Chess Stars of India

By: Ayushi Dutta, Correspondent

Vantika Agrawal: FIDE rating of 2388 as of June 2025

Vantika Agrawal, born in Uttar Pradesh, India, is a promising chess player who holds the titles of Woman Grandmaster (WGM 2021) and International Master (IM) since 2023. Born in 2002, she began playing at the age of seven, inspired by her elder brother Vishesh, and has since won numerous international titles, including the gold at the U-9 Asian Schools Championship in Delhi at the age of nine. Vantika has also won three gold medals at the Chess Olympiads, a silver at the Asian Games 2022, and triumphed at international tournaments. She has been recognized with several awards, including the Arjuna Award in 2025 and the National Child Award in 2016. She also mentors young players and continues to set new benchmarks in the sport.