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11-Year-Old Bodhana Sivanandan Becomes Youngest Female Grandmaster, Makes History
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Moneycontrol•29-09-2026, 17:27
11-Year-Old Bodhana Sivanandan Becomes Youngest Female Grandmaster, Makes History
- •British chess player of Indian origin, Bodhana Sivanandan, achieved the title of youngest female Grandmaster (WGM) at just 11 years old.
- •Bodhana earned her third and final WGM norm at the 2026 Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
- •She surpassed the previous record held by Russia's Kateryna Lagno, who achieved the title at age 12.
- •Starting chess as a lockdown hobby, Bodhana scored eight points out of 11 rounds playing for England at the 2026 Olympiad.
- •Still in primary school, she has also won the women's title at the British Chess Championship.
Key Questions Answered
At just 11 years old, British chess player Bodhana Sivanandan became the youngest female Grandmaster in chess history after securing her final WGM norm at the Chess Olympiad.
The historic tournament took place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where she represented England and played all 11 rounds on the top board.
Her chess journey began during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown when a family friend left behind a chessboard and set that she began using to pass the time.
