Fifteen-year-old Arshiya Das from Tripura has made history by becoming the first Woman International Master from Northeast India. She achieved this by winning the 42nd Rudar IM Round Robin tournament in Serbia with a score of 6.5 out of 9. The victory secured her final WIM norm and her first Woman Grandmaster norm.
Arshiya Das, born in March 2010 in Tripura, etched her name in Indian chess history at the age of 15. Competing in the 42nd Rudar IM Round Robin tournament in Serbia, she clinched first place with 6.5 points from nine rounds, fulfilling the requirements for her Woman International Master (WIM) title. This marks her as the first female player from Northeast India to achieve this distinction, following male International Masters like Koustav Chatterjee, Soham Das, and Aronyak Ghosh from the eastern region.
Das's path to this milestone began informally at home around 2015, when her parents used chess to encourage her to eat breakfast before school. Her father, Purnendu Das, highlighted her dedication: "We are very happy because we know she is actually very dedicated to chess. It was her dream for a long time to become a national champion." She became the Under-15 National Champion in November 2024 and earned a bronze medal at the Senior National Women’s Championships 2025.
To secure her norms, the family planned international exposure in Europe, where such opportunities are more available. Das obtained her first WIM norm at the Asian Individual Chess Championship in the United Arab Emirates, scoring 5/9 and gaining 40 Elo points, including wins against titled players. Her second norm came at the 12th GM Mix Tournament in Serbia with 4.5/9 and 71 Elo points. The Rudar tournament provided the final norm, pushing her live FIDE rating past 2300.
She has trained under coaches including GM R.B. Ramesh and WGM Aarthie Ramaswamy at Chess Gurukul in Chennai, supported by scholarships like the S. Krishnan Scholarship and Quantbox Research Scholarship. Tripura's Chief Minister described the achievement as "a beacon of inspiration for young athletes and chess players across the Northeast," while the Sports Minister noted it would "galvanise support and investment for chess in the region." The Tripura State Chess Association plans a felicitation ceremony. Despite the success, her family has mentioned financial challenges in pursuing international competitions and seeks further support for her goals toward International Master and Grandmaster titles.
