11-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan Sets Guinness Record as Youngest Woman Grandmaster
What Happened
British-Indian chess prodigy Bodhana Sivanandan, aged 11, has been officially recognised by Guinness World Records as the youngest chess player ever to earn the Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title. She secured her final WGM norm while representing England at the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, according to multiple reputable reports . This achievement marks her third Guinness World Record, adding to earlier titles earned at age 10 for becoming the youngest Woman International Master and the youngest female player to defeat a grandmaster . Guinness World Records confirmed the recognition publicly, noting that the new title will not appear in the 2027 edition because it had already gone to print.
Key Takeaways
Bodhana’s achievement sets a new global benchmark in women’s chess and highlights her rapid rise as one of the sport’s most promising young talents. Her record adds to a growing list of milestones and reinforces her status as a major emerging figure in international chess.