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11-Year-Old Bodhana Sivanandan Becomes Youngest Woman Grandmaster
Bodhana Sivanandan is an 11-year-old schoolgirl from northwest London who is very good at chess.
She has become the youngest person ever to receive the Woman Grandmaster title.
She reached this achievement at the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Before Bodhana, Kateryna Lagno held the record after earning the title at age 12.
Bodhana first became interested in chess during the COVID-19 pandemic.
She learned by watching chess lessons on YouTube.
She quickly improved and won all her games at a European schools competition in 2022.
In 2025, she also defeated Grandmaster Peter Wells.
Her success has made her a notable young chess player from the United Kingdom.
Bodhana Sivanandan became the youngest player to earn the Woman Grandmaster title at age 11.
She achieved the milestone during the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Bodhana surpassed Kateryna Lagno, who set the previous record at age 12 in 2002.
The Indian-origin British schoolgirl began playing chess during the COVID-19 pandemic through YouTube tutorials.
Her earlier achievements include winning every match at the 2022 European Schools Championship and defeating Grandmaster Peter Wells in 2025.
- Who
- Bodhana Sivanandan, an 11-year-old Indian-origin British schoolgirl.
- What
- She became the youngest player to earn the Woman Grandmaster chess title.
- Where
- The title milestone occurred in Samarkand, Uzbekistan; Bodhana lives in northwest London.
- When
- During the ongoing 46th Chess Olympiad; the article also cites achievements in 2022 and 2025.
- Why
- She earned the title through her performance in the competition, although the articles do not specify the individual requirements completed.
Key facts
- Age
- 11
- Title
- Woman Grandmaster
- Record surpassed
- Kateryna Lagno's record, set at age 12 in 2002
- Milestone location
- 46th Chess Olympiad, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
- First tournament
- Harrow Chess Club, July 2021
- 2022 achievement
- Won all her matches at the European Schools Championship at age 7
- 2025 achievement
- Defeated 60-year-old Grandmaster Peter Wells at the British Chess Championship in Liverpool
Quotes
Bodhana Sivanandan
Indian-origin British chess player and youngest Woman Grandmaster
“I was fascinated by how the pieces looked, especially the knight and the queen, and I wanted to use them as toys outside of chess.”
wionews.com
Sources
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