Uzbek Grandmaster Nodirbek Yakubboev gave flowers and chocolate to Indian Grandmaster Vaishali R and personally apologised for refusing to shake hands with her during Challengers section of 2025 Tata Steel Chess tournament. "It's clearly understandable...You don't have to feel bad. It's totally fine," Vaishali told Nodirbek. Nodirbek had stated that he didn't shake hands due to religious reasons.