World vice champion

When Woman Candidate Master: When Woman Candidate Master (WCM) Divi Bijesh sits before a chessboard, the world around her disappears.

At just 10 years old, the fifth-grade student of Allen Feldman Public School in the state capital already boasts an enviable resume. Her latest feat -- a silver medal at the National Under-11 Girls Chess Championship in Jalgaon, Maharashtra, last week -- is yet another jewel in her crown.

In Jalgaon, Divi tied for first place with 9 points alongside Maharashtra’s Krishna Tamhane Jain and Tamil Nadu’s Poojashree R. Venkalav. The Buchholz tiebreak placed Krishna first, Divi second, and Poojashree third.