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Bodhana Sivanandan Crowned Youngest Woman Grandmaster at 11
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News18•28-09-2026, 19:30
Bodhana Sivanandan Crowned Youngest Woman Grandmaster at 11
- •Indian-origin chess prodigy Bodhana Sivanandan, 11, has been crowned the youngest Woman Grandmaster (WGM) while representing England at the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
- •Bodhana is the youngest chess player in history to earn the WGM title and previously became the youngest person to represent England internationally in any sport at age nine.
- •The International Chess Federation (FIDE) confirmed her milestone after she played all 11 rounds on England’s top board, finishing with eight points.
- •Her recent success also earned her a second International Master (IM) norm, moving her closer to becoming an International Master.
- •A self-taught genius, Bodhana picked up chess during the COVID pandemic lockdown and has been toppling records, including becoming Britain’s youngest-ever Women’s Chess Champion last month.
Key Questions Answered
The 11-year-old British Indian schoolgirl earned the Woman Grandmaster title while representing England at the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, after playing all 11 rounds on England's top board and finishing with eight points.
Bodhana became Britain's youngest-ever Women's Chess Champion after winning a tense rapid-chess playoff against Trisha Kanyamarala in Coventry.
She is a self-taught chess genius who first picked up the game during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown when a chessboard was left behind in a bag by her father's friend.
