Samarkand: Indian-origin chess prodigy Bodhana Sivanandan has been crowned the youngest-ever Woman Grandmaster (WGM), representing England at the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
The 11-year-old London schoolgirl achieved the historic feat after completing all 11 rounds on England’s top board at the Olympiad. She finished the tournament with eight points, with the International Chess Federation (FIDE) subsequently confirming her latest milestone.
Bodhana has been rewriting age records in chess for several years and is now the youngest chess player in history to earn the Woman Grandmaster title.
From lockdown discovery to chess history
Bodhana first became interested in chess during the COVID-19 lockdown. According to her account, she was introduced to the game after a friend of her father, who was returning to India, gave her some bags containing a chessboard.
The schoolgirl, who lives with her family in Harrow in north-west London, went on to develop her skills largely through self-learning.
Her rapid progress soon saw her emerge as one of Britain’s most promising young chess players. At the age of nine, she became the youngest person to represent England internationally in any sport when she played for the English Chess Federation.
Two years later, she has added another significant record by becoming the youngest player to earn the WGM title.
“I’m happy to do it, but I want to keep going and keep making history as well, instead of just stopping here,” Bodhana told FIDE.
Second IM norm adds to achievement
Bodhana’s performance at the Chess Olympiad also earned her a second International Master (IM) norm.
The achievement puts her another step closer to securing the International Master title, which represents another major milestone in her developing chess career.
Her performance on England’s top board was particularly notable because the position is reserved for the team’s highest-ranked player. Playing all 11 rounds, she accumulated eight points during the tournament.
Bodhana has also spoken about how chess fits alongside her education and interests outside the game.
“I like travelling and also because I do full-time school as well, it links to loads of school subjects, so it’s really useful there as well,” she said.
British champion at 11
Bodhana arrived at the Chess Olympiad after another landmark achievement last month.
She became Britain’s youngest-ever Women’s Chess Champion at the 2026 British Chess Championships in Coventry, adding the national title to a growing list of records.
Her achievements extend beyond classical chess. She is already the UK Open Women’s Blitz Champion and joint British Women’s Rapid Champion.
Her progress across different formats has established her as one of the youngest players competing at the highest levels of the game.
Continuing to break records
Bodhana’s latest achievement adds to an extraordinary sequence of age-related milestones since she first emerged on the British chess circuit.
Her journey from discovering a chessboard during the pandemic lockdown to competing on England’s top board at the Chess Olympiad has taken place alongside her regular schooling.
The WGM title is another significant stage in that progression, but Bodhana has made it clear that she intends to continue developing rather than treat the achievement as a finishing point.
Her second IM norm also gives her another target as she continues to pursue further international recognition in chess.
With the latest record secured at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, the 11-year-old has once again become the focus of international attention for her achievements over the board.