How a screen-free activity led 8-year-old Divisha to medals
Divisha Naveen Nayakula's chess story began almost by accident. Her parents just wanted to keep their three-year-old away from screens during the pandemic. Little did they know that one decision would change everything. Five years later, she has earned a FIDE rating of 1658, won medals at the 28th Asian Youth Chess Championship, and even played a simul against former World Champion Ding Liren. Not bad for a girl who is still only eight!
The screen-time solution
There is a certain irony in how some of the best chess stories begin. This article is about Divisha Naveen Nayakula, whose parents' simple wish was to keep her away from screens when she was a toddler.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when Divisha was just three years old, her parents were looking for ways to keep her occupied without handing her a phone or tablet. She was a curious child who loved learning new things, and one day, she found herself drawn to the chessboard. Her parents would often play chess at home, and Divisha began watching them closely.
After seeing Divisha's curiosity, her parents decided to take her to a chess academy. The coach, however, was initially unsure about teaching a three-year-old. Divisha's parents requested that the coach give her a chance. After all, she had always been eager to learn, and there seemed little harm in letting her try. The coach began with the basics: the names of the pieces and how they moved. Divisha picked it up almost instantly. So quickly, in fact, that she began explaining the moves back to the coach! The hesitation disappeared. The coach agreed to take her on, and Divisha began attending classes twice a week.
Five years later, that three-year-old who was introduced to chess almost by accident has a FIDE rating of 1658 and medals to her name.
Recently, Divisha has discovered what it means to compete on the international stage. Over the past three months, she has travelled from Sri Lanka to Georgia and then China for tournaments and returned with medals, valuable lessons and, most importantly, greater belief in her own game. This travel gave her the special opportunity to play against former World Champion Ding Liren.
The Commonwealth Youth Chess Championship 2026, held in Kalutara, Sri Lanka, from May 16 to 26, was Divisha's first international tournament. In the Classical section, Divisha finished sixth. According to her father, missing out on a medal taught her the importance of every point and every game in the tournament. In the Blitz, however, she scored 6/7 points to win the bronze medal!
Every developing player needs a moment that makes them believe they are on the right path. For Divisha, that moment came with achieving a FIDE rating of 1658 after her performance at the FIDE U-8 World Cup in Georgia.
The next stop was China. At the 28th Asian Youth Chess Championships 2026 in Shenzhen, Divisha won three team medals: a team silver medal in Classical, another team silver medal in Rapid, and a team bronze medal in Blitz!
The 28th Asian Youth Chess Championship gave Divisha a very significant memory. She played in a simul against Ding Liren. As a fan of top chess players, this opportunity was exciting for her. She had met several players during the FIDE World Cup in Goa last year, but Ding Liren was one player she had missed because he did not participate in that event. This time, she finally got her opportunity! Not just to meet him, but to play against him. For an eight-year-old chess player, sitting across the board from a former World Champion is an extraordinary learning opportunity.
Divisha's development has been shaped by two coaches at different stages of her journey. Her first coach, Sravanthy Gummadi, laid the foundation when Divisha was just three years old. Since October 2025, Divisha has been training with Dhairya Waghela of Upsteps Academy.
When asked about her goals, Divisha said she wants to win the Under-9 Girls Nationals next year and compete in the upcoming Western Asian Championships in Visakhapatnam. She also plans to play more rated tournaments and work on improving her rating. For now, her main focus is to keep learning, improve her game, and perform well in future tournaments. Faster time controls remain her favourite. She is still developing the patience that classical chess demands.
And to think, it all started with a parent's simple wish to keep a three-year-old away from screens!
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