Chess History Made: Siblings Ramesh Babu Praggnanandhaa and Vaishali Rameshbabu

The first brother and sister duo to achieve the title of Chess Grandmaster concurrently, it would be a remarkable and historic achievement. The title of Grandmaster is the highest title awarded by FIDE, the international chess federation, and achieving it requires exceptional skill and consistent performance in high-level competitions.

Vaishali Rameshbabu has achieved the title of India’s third female Grandmaster by surpassing a 2500 rating during the 2023 IV Elllobregat Open on Saturday 2nd Dec 23. This landmark accomplishment makes Vaishali and her younger brother, chess prodigy Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, the first-ever Grandmaster siblings pair in history.

While Vaishali has long been recognized for her accomplishments, her achievements have sometimes been overshadowed by the rapid ascent of her younger brother, Praggnanandhaa, who became the second-youngest Grandmaster in 2018.

At the age of 22, Vaishali is now stepping into the limelight, ending India’s 12-year wait for a female Grandmaster. She follows in the footsteps of Koneru Humpy and Harika Dronavalli, becoming only the third woman in India to hold this prestigious title.

Vaishali’s journey in chess began early, much like her brother Praggnanandhaa. Their mother, Nagalaxmi…