Bodhana Sivanandan, 11, Sets Record as Youngest Woman Grandmaster in Chess History

Key facts

• 11-year-old British-Indian Bodhana Sivanandan became the youngest woman grandmaster (WGM) in history at the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, playing on the top board for England.
• In 2024, she became the youngest person to represent England in any sport at an international tournament during her first Olympiad appearance.
• At the 2022 European Schools Championship, she won three gold medals after recording 24 victories from 24 games.
• In August 2025, at 10 years, five months and three days, she became the youngest female player to defeat a grandmaster by beating 60-year-old grandmaster Peter Wells at the British Chess Championships, surpassing the previous mark held by American Carissa Yip.
• She became a women's candidate master after crossing a FIDE rating of 2,000.
• She is the UK Open Women's Blitz Champion and joint British Women's Rapid Champion.
• China's Hou Yifan remains the youngest Grandmaster (GM), having achieved the title at 14 years and 5 months in 2008.