Bodhana Sivanandan, an 11-year-old schoolgirl from Harrow in northwest London, has become the youngest person in history to earn chess’s Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) confirmed on Sunday, September 27, 2026. Sivanandan secured her third and final WGM norm while representing England at the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, playing all 11 rounds on England’s top board and finishing with eight points . She surpasses the previous record held by Kateryna Lagno, who achieved the title at age 12 in 2002, and China’s Hou Yifan, who also earned it at 12 in 2007.
A Meteoric Rise from Lockdown Discovery
Sivanandan’s journey into chess began during the COVID-19 pandemic when she discovered a chessboard in a bag of discarded items left by a family friend at her home in Harrow . Fascinated by the pieces, particularly the knight and queen, she initially wanted to use them as toys before her father, IT worker Sivanandan Velayutham, taught her the basic rules . Largely self-taught through YouTube tutorials, she soon began defeating her father . She entered her first tournament at Harrow Chess Club in July 2021 and, a year later at age seven, won all 24 of her games at the European Schools Championship .
Her record-breaking streak has been relentless. In August 2023, she was invited to 10 Downing Street by then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during the announcement of a funding package for chess in the UK . In 2024, aged nine, she became the youngest person to represent England internationally in any sport when selected for the Chess Olympiad in Budapest . Last year, at 10 years and five months, she became the youngest female player to defeat a grandmaster, beating 60-year-old Peter Wells at the British Chess Championships in Liverpool, breaking a record held by American Carissa Yip since 2019.
A Historic Achievement and the Road Ahead
The WGM title is the highest female-only title in chess and is held for life . Sivanandan’s performance in Samarkand also earned her a second International Master (IM) norm, bringing her closer to the IM title, which requires three norms and a rating of at least 2400 . The IM title, open to both sexes, ranks above her current WGM and Woman International Master titles .
Her achievement drew widespread praise, including from former Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who wrote on X:
“Huge congratulations Bodhana — a chess superstar and just 11 years old. So pleased to see you continue to progress”.
Grandmaster Danny Gormally, commentating for the English Chess Federation, called her “a generational talent” . In an interview with FIDE, Sivanandan remained focused on the future: “I’m happy to do it, but I want to keep going and keep making history as well, instead of just stopping here”.
Balance and Ambition
Beyond chess, Sivanandan plays both violin and piano while managing full-time school . She has spoken about how chess complements her education, noting that it “links to loads of school subjects, so it’s really useful there as well” . Earlier this summer, she became Britain’s youngest-ever Women’s Chess Champion, breaking a record set by Elaine Pritchard in 1939 . Asked about the pressure of playing on England’s top board, she told FIDE: “Not really, I just tried to enjoy it” . With experts already predicting she could become Britain’s greatest ever player, Sivanandan’s ambitions extend beyond the WGM title—she has stated she wants “to become a [full] grandmaster as soon as possible” .