Koneru Humpy is an Indian chess Grandmaster from Andhra Pradesh, widely regarded as one of the strongest female chess players in the world. In 2002, at the age of 15, she became the youngest woman ever to earn the Grandmaster title at that time, breaking a record previously held by Judit Polgár. She has represented India in numerous Chess Olympiads and World Championship cycles, and is a former Women's World Rapid Champion.
| Full name | Koneru Humpy |
|---|---|
| Born | 31 March 1987, Gudivada, Andhra Pradesh, India |
| Father | Koneru Ashok (chess coach) |
| Title | Grandmaster (GM), 2002 |
| Federation | India |
| Notable record | Youngest woman to become Grandmaster (at the time, aged 15) |
| Major title | Women's World Rapid Chess Champion (2019, 2024) |
| Honours | Arjuna Award (2003), Padma Shri (2007), Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2020) |
Humpy was born on 31 March 1987 in Gudivada, in the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh. Her name was originally spelled "Hampi" but was later changed to "Humpy" by her father. She was introduced to chess by her father, Koneru Ashok, a chemistry lecturer and chess player who became her first coach. The family later relocated within Andhra Pradesh to support her chess career.
Humpy made her mark in age-group events from the early 1990s. She won the World Youth Chess Championship in the Girls Under-10 category in 1997, followed by world titles in the Girls Under-12 (2000) and Girls Under-14 (1999) age groups. She also won the World Junior Girls Chess Championship in 2001.
She earned her Woman Grandmaster (WGM) and International Master (IM) titles in her teens, and was awarded the Grandmaster title in 2002 at the age of 15 years, 1 month, and 27 days, making her the youngest woman in history to do so until that record was later surpassed.
Humpy has been a consistent contender in the FIDE Women's World Chess Championship cycle. She finished runner-up at the Women's World Chess Championship 2011, losing to Hou Yifan of China in the title match held in Tirana, Albania. She has competed in multiple Women's Candidates tournaments, including 2019 and 2022–2023.
In December 2019, she won the FIDE Women's World Rapid Chess Championship in Moscow, defeating Lei Tingjie in a tie-break. She regained the title in December 2024, winning the Women's World Rapid Championship held in New York.
Humpy has represented India at multiple Chess Olympiads, typically playing on the top board for the Indian women's team, and has won individual and team medals across editions. She has also led India in the Asian Nations Cup and other team competitions.
Humpy is known for a classical, positional style with deep opening preparation. She has long been among the top-rated women in world chess and has consistently held an Elo rating above 2500, placing her among a small group of women to have crossed that threshold.
Humpy married Dasari Anvesh in 2014. She took a maternity break from competitive chess after the birth of her daughter in 2017 and returned to top-level competition in 2018, going on to win the World Rapid title the following year.
Humpy is one of the pioneering figures of Indian women's chess, alongside players such as S. Vijayalakshmi and Subbaraman Vijayalakshmi's contemporaries. Her early Grandmaster title and sustained international success have inspired a generation of Indian women players, including Harika Dronavalli, R. Vaishali, and Divya Deshmukh, contributing to India's emergence as a leading force in world chess.