A British schoolgirl, Bodhana Sivanandan, has achieved the title of the youngest woman grandmaster in chess at the age of 11. She secured this title at the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, by winning eight points across 11 games against top players. The International Chess Federation confirmed her new status after she earned her third and final 'norm,' an official certificate indicating elite performance, qualifying her for the title.
The achievement was recognized by former Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who congratulated Bodhana on social media. The previous record for the youngest woman grandmaster was held by Kateryna Lagno, who was 12 in 2002, and Hou Yifan from China, also 12, in 2007. Hou later became the youngest woman to earn the full grandmaster title at 14 in 2008.
Sivanandan, described as a 'generational talent,' must progress to international master before she can pursue the grandmaster title. Some experts predict she may become Britain's greatest chess player. She discovered chess during the pandemic after finding a chessboard in a bag of discarded items. Her father, Sivandan Velayutham, taught her the basics, but she quickly advanced her skills through online tutorials.
In addition to chess, Sivanandan plays the violin and piano, balancing her musical pursuits with academic work. Earlier this summer, she became Britain's youngest-ever Women's Chess Champion, breaking a record set in 1939. In a playoff, she defeated 14-year-old Trisha Kanyamarala, the first Irishwoman to hold the Woman Grandmaster title.
Grandmaster Danny Gormally commented on her performance, calling her 'unbelievable' and a 'generational talent.' Sivanandan lost only to 17-year-old Shreyas Royal, who became Britain's youngest-ever grandmaster in 2024. She first entered a tournament at the Harrow Chess Club in July 2021 and gained success in 2022 at the European Schools Championship, winning all her matches there.