Bodhana Sivanandan becomes youngest Woman Grandmaster in chess history

Eleven-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan from Harrow, London, has officially become the youngest player in history to qualify for the Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title. This historic milestone was achieved during the 46th Chess Olympiad held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where Sivanandan represented the English national team.

Competing across all 11 rounds on the top board—a position reserved for the team's highest-ranked player—Sivanandan secured eight points. Having already surpassed the 2,300 Elo rating threshold required by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), this performance provided the final WGM norm necessary for the title.

This achievement breaks the long-standing record previously held by Kateryna Lagno, who earned the title at age 12. While Hou Yifan also attained the WGM status at 12, Sivanandan has now established a new global benchmark for the youngest age at which this title has been reached. Following the announcement, Sivanandan expressed her commitment to continuing her progress in the sport.