Quick Info
| Profession | Chess Player |
|---|---|
| Nationality | British |
| Date of Birth | 07/03/2015 |
| Age | 11 years |
| Birthplace | Harrow, London, England |
Latest News about Bodhana Sivanandan
Bodhana Sivanandan became the youngest female chess player to defeat a grandmaster when she defeated 60-year-old GM Peter Wells at the 2025 British Chess Championships in Liverpool at age 10 years, 5 months, and 3 days, surpassing American Carissa Yip's 2019 record. This victory also secured her the Woman International Master (WIM) title, making her the youngest ever to achieve it.
At just 10 years old, Bodhana Sivanandan became the youngest chess player to earn a Woman Grandmaster (WGM) norm in July 2025, surpassing Hou Yifan's previous record of 11 years set in 2005. She achieved this milestone with a performance rating of 2401 at the Dole Trophy.
Bodhana Sivanandan defeated former Women's World Champion GM Mariya Muzychuk at the European Club Cup in Rhodes, Greece, becoming one of the youngest players ever to defeat a former world champion. She was representing the 12th-seeded team She Plays to Win Lionesses during this historic victory.
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Bio/Wiki
| Famous for | Being the youngest female chess player in history to defeat a grandmaster |
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Physical Stats & More
| Eye Color | Black |
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| Hair Color | Black |
Educational Qualification(s)
| School | St John Fisher primary school |
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Personal Life
| Religion | Hinduism |
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Relationships & More
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
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Family
| Father | Sivanandan Velayutham (Engineer) |
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| Mother | Lakshmy Sivanandan |
Career
| Titles |
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| World Championship | World Cadet (Youth) Championships- Girls Under-8 (2023) |
| Notable Games |
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| Awards, Honours, Achievements |
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Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. Born in London, England, Bodhana’s family originally hails from Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu. | |
| 2. Started playing chess at age 5 during the COVID-19 lockdown after stumbling upon a chessboard at home. | |
| 3. Her father, who only knew basic chess, initially downloaded Chess.com to help her learn through videos. | |
| 4. In March 2022, she quickly rose to become the world’s No. 1 blitz player in the under-8 girls’ category. | |
| 5. Won three gold medals at the European Schools Chess Championship in May 2022, winning all 24 games. | |
| 6. In December 2023, she excelled at the European Blitz Championship in Zagreb, securing the women's prize. | |
| 7. Youngest athlete to represent England internationally in any sport in 2024 during the Chess Olympiad. | |
| 8. Achieved her first Woman Grandmaster norm at the Dole Trophy in July 2025 with a performance rating of 2401. | |
| 9. Broke the record for the youngest female chess player to defeat a grandmaster at 10 years, 5 months, and 3 days. | |
| 10. An ambassador for ChessKid.com and starred in a viral video with former British chess champion Peter Lee. | |
| 11. Carries a cushioned seat to comfortably reach the chessboard during matches. | |
| 12. Also learned to play piano and violin but focused primarily on chess. | |
| 13. Defeated former Women's World Champion GM Mariya Muzychuk at the European Club Cup in Rhodes, Greece in 2025, becoming one of the youngest players ever to defeat a former world champion. |