MUZAFFARPUR: Marium Fatima from Muzaffarpur has created history by becoming Bihar’s first Woman FIDE Master (WFM). The young chess player achieved this milestone after an impressive performance at the Barbera del Valles Open Chess Championship in Barcelona, Spain, where her rating crossed 2100, earning her the FIDE title.
Marium, originally from Chandwara Jamiran Gachi in Muzaffarpur, said she owes her success to her parents and the Bihar Chess Association. She added that her next target is to achieve the Grandmaster norm, which requires a rating of 2400. “There is no Grandmaster from Bihar yet, and I want to be the first to achieve that distinction,” she said.
Her success has been widely celebrated in the state. Director General of Bihar State Sports Authority Ravindran Shankaran congratulated her, while officials from the All Bihar Chess Association and Muzaffarpur Chess Association praised her achievement. Secretary Dharmendra Kumar, Joint Secretary Nandkishore Srivastava, President Vinay Kumar, and others expressed pride that Marium has brought recognition not only to Bihar but to the entire country.
India has already established itself as a chess powerhouse, producing world-class players such as D Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa from Tamil Nadu. With Marium’s breakthrough, Bihar is also carving out its place in the national chess landscape.
There are currently eight Women Grandmasters in India. Marium aspires to become the ninth, while also inspiring the next generation of players from Bihar to pursue the game at the highest level.
