Bhubaneswar: In a proud moment for India and the state of Odisha, Aparajita Gochhikar has been awarded the prestigious Fair Play Expert (FPE) title by the International Chess Federation (FIDE). The announcement was made during FIDE’s 1st Council Meeting 2025, where Aparajita was recognized for her significant contributions to fair play in chess.
Aparajita, an International Chess Player and International Arbiter from Odisha, has made history by becoming the first woman in India to receive this honor. She shares this recognition with Atharva Godbole of Maharashtra, the only other Indian among the twelve recipients worldwide.
The FPE title is a mark of distinction, with honorees selected from countries including India, Armenia, England, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Iran, Italy, Norway, Uruguay, and Zambia. Aparajita earned her four FPE norms during high-level events such as the FIDE Chess Olympiad 2022 in Chennai, the FPE Seminar in Gandhinagar, and the World Youth Championship in Italy. Her work was supervised by Yuri Garret of Italy and Howie Andrew of Scotland.
