Indian-origin British Bodhana Sivanandan becomes youngest ever Woman Grandmaster at 11

Bodhana Sivanandan has become the youngest player in history to earn the Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) confirmed. The 11-year-old Indian-origin British player completed her third and final WGM norm at the recently concluded 2026 Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, while representing England.

The previous age record belonged to Russian Grandmaster Kateryna Lagno, who achieved the WGM title at 12. Former world champion Hou Yifan of China also earned the title at 12, and remains the youngest woman to have secured the full Grandmaster title, which she achieved at 14. Having taken the top board for England's women's team, Bodhana led from the front.

She won six games, registering 8.0/11 to help England finish 15th in the women's section. On Board 1, the pre-teen was the 13th best player of the tournament. Bodhana, whose family traces its roots to Trichy in Tamil Nadu, has been a rising force in British chess for several years.

Her father, Sivanandan Velayutham, works in the IT sector and moved the family to London in 2007. Bodhana was born and raised in the British capital. ALSO READ | Bodhana Sivanandan, 10-year-old British prodigy with Indian roots, becomes youngest girl to beat a Grandmaster Her breakout moment came at the 2025 British Chess Championships in Liverpool, where, at 10 years, five months and three days, she defeated Grandmaster Peter Wells to become the youngest female player ever to beat a Grandmaster.

The previous record had been held by American Carissa Yip since 2019, who was 10 years and 11 months old when she first defeated a Grandmaster. The WGM title is the highest women-only title a female player can attain and is held for life. Bodhana's stature in British chess has grown rapidly.

At eight, she was invited to 10 Downing Street in August 2023 by then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who was preparing to announce a financial package for chess in the UK. Her performances in Samarkand also earned her a second International Master (IM) norm, bringing her closer to the higher title.

Players typically require three qualifying norms and a rating of at least 2400 to become an International Master; Bodhana now has two. The IM title, open to both sexes, ranks above the WGM and Woman International Master titles she currently holds.