India had a new hero in Dommaraju Gukesh when the 17-year-old won the Candidates Chess in Toronto last month.

But for the last two decades, the face of Indian women's chess has been Koneru Humpy, who finished a creditable runner-up in the women's section of the Candidates.

Humpy, when she was 15, had become the youngest woman in the world to become a full-fledged Grandmaster, breaking Judit Polgar's record by three months. Now, at 37, she was the eldest of the group playing at the Candidates.

How has been her journey? And what are the changes she has seen in the game over the years?

"It has been a fantastic ride so far," Humpy told The Telegraph from her home in Vijayawada, before leaving for the Norway Open chess in Stavanger which begins on Monday. "And I much appreciate the changes that have occurred over the years in chess in general, and women's chess in particular."

"To start with the latest. The Norway chess is a gender-equal tournament, in that it offers equal prize money for both men and women. This is a first. To clarify further, the Tata Chess in India, too, offers equal prize money but that is a rapid tournament. This is the first big tournament in the Classical format which is offering equal pay."

Previously, the prize money in women's chess was far less than that of the men. Since Fide has taken over women's chess, particularly the Grands Prix and Candidates, things have taken a turn for the better, said Humpy, because unless sustainable prize money is involved, nobody will take to the game seriously, even if she has a passion for it.

Even then, the number of women players is far less than the men. "The women who play are mostly from Russia and China plus we three from India — Dronavalli Harika, Rameshbabu Vaishali and myself. There are not too many from other parts of Asia. We need to get more women into the game."

Globally, though, India are ruling chess now. What are the factors that have contributed to it?

"We had a lot of talented players before too but the opportunities were much less. For instance, the time when I became a grandmaster, to ensure the three GM norms, we needed to fly to Europe. But now we have a number of international open tournaments in India itself.

"Also, during the pandemic, a lot of online training portals helped many youngsters sharpen their skills. Since we all were idle, many started taking the game seriously. Since then, kids like Arjun (Eragasie) and Nihal (Sarin) started making a name for themselves. So, we have the pandemic to thank for the boom in the game in our country," she laughed.

"Moreover, facilities and financial conditions are much better than before," she added.

"The corporates are coming in to sponsor talented players, (Viswanathan) Anand has opened his chess academy... you no longer need to fly abroad to train under a foreign coach.

"As for Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa, both of who are from Tamil Nadu," continued the Padma Shri and Arjuna Awardee, "By the time they started playing, Anand was a legend in Tamil Nadu. That must have a major influence on them."

Speaking of Gukesh, was she expecting him to win in Toronto?

"I knew he would give a tough fight. But after a few rounds, I saw he was playing steadily and was very composed. From then on I was sure he would make it in the top-two... but he went on to seal it."

As for herself, at the half-way stage, Humpy was languishing at 2.5 points out of seven games but recovered to score five points from the last seven games to finish runner-up.

"Yes, I did struggle in the initial stages. On the personal front, there were some worries. To play a game of chess, your mind has to be clear. So it took me some time to get into the groove and yes, it was great to finish the way I did," she said.

What target does the India women's No.1 and world No. 5, who has done a remarkable job of balancing home with a now six-year-old daughter Ahana and the game, set for herself next?

"Simple, to win each tournament that I play in. I want to be competitive with the next generation and take each tournament one by one. I just wish to stay in shape and enjoy my chess," concluded Humpy.