At just 11 years old, Bodhana Sivanandan has rewritten the history books by becoming the youngest Woman Grandmaster of all time. The British chess prodigy from northwest London secured her third and final title norm while representing England at the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Playing all 11 rounds on her team's top board, Bodhana finished the prestigious tournament with eight points. Speaking after her historic achievement, she expressed a fierce ambition that belies her age.
"I'm happy to do it, but I want to keep going and keep making history as well, instead of just stopping here," Bodhana shared. When asked if she felt the pressure of competing at such a high level, she replied, "Not really, I just tried to enjoy it."
Her remarkable journey began entirely by chance during the Covid-19 pandemic. A family friend gifted her some toys and a chessboard before moving away. Intrigued by the set, a five-year-old Bodhana taught herself how the pieces moved through online tutorials.
"In one of the bags, I saw a chessboard, and I was interested in the pieces," she recalled. "I wanted to use the pieces as toys. Instead, my dad said that I could play the game, and then I started from there."
Her father Siva admitted he had no idea where his daughter's extraordinary talent came from, noting that neither he nor his wife are skilled at the game.
Despite her meteoric rise, Bodhana remains a full-time primary school student. She effortlessly balances her education with international tournaments. "I like travelling and also because I do full-time school as well, it links to loads of school subjects, so it's really useful there as well," she explained.
The young champion has consistently shattered records. At age 10 she became the youngest female player to defeat a grandmaster by beating Peter Wells. In July she earned her first International Master norm and defeated Marc'Andria Maurizzi. Her triumph in Uzbekistan has now secured a second norm, bringing her one step closer to the prestigious open International Master title.
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