In 2001, at age 15, she won the World Junior Girls Chess Championship. In 2002, she received the Arjuna Award and the title of International Master, following which she also earned the title of Grandmaster in 2002. She held the record of being the youngest woman ever to achieve the title of Grandmaster, until 2008.
She has also won other international events like the Essent Tournament in Hoogeveen, Netherlands and the North Urals Cup. Koneru contested Women's World Chess Championship four times but did not win.
In 2011, she won the inaugural Women’s Grand Prix at Doha, Qatar. She took a two-year break from competitive chess from late 2011 and returned to competitive chess in September 2014.
In 2019, she won the Women's World Rapid Chess Championship.
Koneru was also the recipient of Padma Shri in 2007, which is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India.