At just 11 years old, Bodhana Sivanandan has entered the history books of chess.

Representing England at the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, the London-born prodigy secured her third and final Woman Grandmaster (WGM) norm, completing the requirements for the prestigious title. She played all 11 rounds on England’s top board and finished with an impressive 8 points from 11 games. 

Her achievement makes her the youngest player ever to earn the WGM title, surpassing the previous record held by Russian Grandmaster Kateryna Lagno and former world champion Hou Yifan, who both achieved the title at 12. 

Playing on Board 1 is a demanding assignment, usually reserved for a team’s strongest player. Yet Bodhana handled the responsibility at an age when many children are still discovering the game. She recorded six wins, three draws and two losses, finishing with an individual performance rating of 2432. Her 8/11 score also helped England finish 15th in the women’s section. 

The Olympiad brought another milestone for the young star. She also secured her second International Master (IM) norm, moving closer to her next target—the open International Master title. 

From Lockdown Discovery to Chess Records

Bodhana’s remarkable journey began during the COVID-19 lockdown, when she discovered chess almost by chance. What started as a new activity quickly turned into a passion and then into an extraordinary competitive career. Her family has roots in Trichy, Tamil Nadu. Her father, Sivanandan Velayutham, moved to London in 2007, where Bodhana was born and raised. 

Her list of records has grown rapidly. In 2025, at just 10 years, five months and three days, she defeated Grandmaster Peter Wells, becoming the youngest female player recorded to defeat a Grandmaster. In 2026, she also became Britain’s youngest-ever women’s chess champion.

The Woman Grandmaster title is the highest women-only title in chess and is awarded for life. But for Bodhana, the new title appears to be another milestone rather than a finish line. She has already set her sights on continuing her progress in chess and at 11, her chessboard still has a very long story ahead.