Gukesh Dommaraju, Arjun Erigaisi, Divya Deshmukh and Harika Dronavalli (left to right) (Photo: Maria Emelianova/Chess.com)

New Delhi: Last Sunday was International Women’s Day. Unless you’ve completely given up on digital devices, your feed is likely buried under a mountain of Instagram Stories and WhatsApp statuses celebrating the day. You may like some of them, respond to some wishes, and perfectly align your values ​​and vision with your career.To coincide with the occasion, FIDE Women in Chess (WOM) and the University of Queensland released the 2026 Gender Equality in Chess Index (GECI) on Sunday. In the index, which was first released in 2023, India has slipped one spot to 25th in the global rankings.

Taken in isolation, a single point decline may not be alarming. But in a country now hailed as the world’s fastest-growing chess power, the ranking points to a deeper structural imbalance. While the list does have worse performing countries, one might question why India is not at the top.

What is the Gender Equality Chess Index (GECI)?

The Chess Gender Equality Index is essentially an attempt by global chess body FIDE to quantify the gender balance of federations around the world. The idea behind it is to measure countries’ current status so that they can improve.“When we created GECI in 2023, we wanted to provide federations with a clear, evidence-based picture of where they stand on gender equality. If you don’t measure it, you can’t improve,” said Grandmaster (GM) David Smerdon, Associate Professor at the University of Queensland and lead author of the report.

Changes in average GECI scores by continent (chart from GECI Report 2026)

The report draws on FIDE’s global ratings database and youth tournament participation records to construct a composite score that reflects women’s participation, performance and development pathways. The report shows that there are 1,446,605 active chess players worldwide, but only 238,716 are women, meaning that overall female participation is only 16.5%.

How rankings are measured

The GECI score is calculated using three key pillars:

In the 2026 release, India’s overall GECI score is 71.04, resulting in a global ranking of 25th. However, when you look deeper, you see that the numbers tell the story of two different Indias.

Figures for India in GECI Report 2026

In terms of performance, India scored a staggering 97.49 points (up from 88.31 points in 2023), proving that our elite women are world-class. Still, participation lagged behind at a meager 18.72, while the measure of next-gen progress dipped slightly to 49.09.These indicators suggest that while India has excelled at producing top female players, the wider ecosystem is still struggling to get girls into the boardroom and retain them.

What is missing in India?

From Viswanathan Anand, who inspired a generation, to teenage prodigies dominating global tournaments, the country now boasts more than 90 grandmasters. Yet, in a country with over a billion people, only four women have achieved chess’s highest title and become chess general managers.As general manager Harika Dronavalli explained, the problem starts long before players reach elite level. “Girls are not forced to pursue ambitious goals in the same way that boys are. The talent is certainly there, but social expectations tend to clip those wings prematurely.” she told times of india.com.This decline is particularly pronounced during adolescence. Coaching general manager Srinath Narayanan, who has worked with several of India’s top female players, said many promising girls quit the sport between the ages of 13 and 15.“Girls in India often face greater pressure to prioritize academics or family responsibilities over sport. Chess requires ongoing investment, time, travel and coaching, and families may be hesitant to support girls in such a career long-term,” he explains.

What’s new in the GECI 2026 report

Even those who remain within the system face structural challenges. International Master (IM) Vantika Agrawal reiterated that international competition is a crucial step towards attaining Grand Master standard but it is much more difficult for female players.“It’s financially challenging to compete in a lot of competitions abroad,” she said. “Female players don’t have many opportunities to play with stronger players, which hinders their growth. And our society is still male-dominated. Women don’t get equal opportunities and support.”Young girls often compete in female-only tournaments rather than the more intense open competitions, limiting them from facing harsher opposition during a critical developmental period.

What can India do to improve and narrow the gap?

On a recent visit to the siteVeteran Indian grandmaster Pravin Thipsay breaks down the reality of ‘individualism’ in the Indian chess ecosystem.“There is no system in Indian chess that produces champions. It’s basically the efforts of the parents and the players. The players spent a lot of time and effort, the parents sacrificed their careers, and some champions emerged,” he explained.“Just because three players do well, it doesn’t mean five years from now we’ll have three or five more players doing the same thing. We cannot say that it is like the Soviet schools, where one champion goes and another comes. Even in China, they have a continuous chain of players, especially female players. Whenever one generation ceases to be powerful, another one has emerged. Those things don’t happen here; what we have is one man’s personal effort.“Although some big names helped sow the seeds of chess culture in India, the growth was still limited to certain parts of the country rather than spreading across India. Without the direct intervention of the All India Chess Federation (AICF), the sport may not reach its full potential. But how do they achieve this?

The GECI framework itself provides clues about solutions.First, we need to increase the participation of women at the grassroots level. Even a small increase in the proportion of girls playing chess would significantly strengthen the talent pool.Secondly, facing tougher competition is crucial. Coaches believe talented girls should be encouraged to play in open events early in their careers.Third, the ecosystem needs financial support, from travel grants and sponsorships to structured training programs designed specifically for promising female athletes.

Biggest changes to GECI reporting in 2026

All in all, the UAE blueprint mentioned in the 2026 GECI report could be very effective.The UAE has risen 73 places in the rankings, from 77th in the previous edition to the current 4th place, mainly due to a significant increase in the number of girls participating in the youth championships. In the Progress indicator, the country increased female participation in youth delegations from 12.5% ​​to 43.75%, demonstrating how targeted policy decisions can quickly transform representation.With the support of the Ministry of Sports and the National Board, the UAE has institutionalized women’s chess through a dedicated network of seven chess clubs, with a dedicated women’s section and two women’s clubs. They also mandated women’s representation in their governing bodies.By providing logistical support to families and placing women in leadership positions, such as Secretary-General Dr. Maliha Mahmoud Mazmi, the federation creates a sustainable pipeline of professionals.Also read: India welcomed its 93rd general manager. Mother quits job to play chess – Aarav Dengla’s production was influenced by D Gukesh and Arjun ErigaisiAdditionally, the system is based on a year-round women’s athletics calendar, ranging from school-level events to national championships for all age groups. In addition to its Board of Directors, the Federation has invested in recruiting female international and national arbitrators.For India, the lesson is simple. The data shows that the country already has the talent. What is needed now is a system that keeps girls in the game long-term to create a sustainable development model.