Vaishali Rameshbabu

Prior to 2026 Vaishali Rameshbabu was a strong female player with many accomplishments, but best known as the sister of Rameshbabu “Pragg” Praggnanandhaa. By winning the Women’s Candidates Tournament in Cyprus this past April Vaishali not only earned the right to a Women’s World Championship title match with Ju Wenjun this fall, but full recognition of her own talents.  She will attempt to become the first ever Indian to hold the title and in so doing the first non-Chinese to wear the crown in over a decade.

Half of the first sister and brother to both become Grandmasters and play in Candidates tournaments simultaneously, Vaishali is a two-time champion of the FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss Tournament (2023 and 2025).  She was a member of the Indian team that won the 2020 Online Chess Olympiad, earned team and individual medals in the 2022 Women’s Chess Olympiad and was a member of the gold medal team in the 2024 Women’s Chess Olympiad.

Vaishali Rameshbabu is currently rated the thirteenth woman in the world.