Bodhana Sivanandan is a British chess prodigy of Indian Tamil descent, known for making history as the youngest female to defeat a grandmaster at just 10 years, 5 months, and 3 days old. Born on March 7, 2015, in Harrow, London, she is widely celebrated for her exceptional talent and early achievements in chess. She began playing during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 and quickly rose to international fame after winning multiple world titles.
In 2025, Bodhana achieved her first Woman Grandmaster norm and defeated Grandmaster Peter Wells at the British Chess Championship. She is also a ChessKid ambassador and one of the brightest young stars in the sport.
Bodhana Sivanandan Wiki/Bio
| Full Name | Bodhana Sivanandan |
| Date of Birth | March 7, 2015 |
| Age (2025) | 10 years |
| Profession | Chess Player, Student |
| Hometown | Harrow, London, England, UK |
| Current Residence | Harrow, London, England, UK |
| Nationality | British |
Early Life
Bodhana was born to Indian Tamil parents from Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, who moved to London in 2007. Her father, Sivanandan Velayutham, an engineer, introduced her to chess in 2020 after she discovered a chessboard among a friend’s belongings. At the age of five, she began learning through Chess.com videos and showed immediate talent.
She attends St John Fisher Catholic Primary School in Harrow, managing her studies alongside a busy chess schedule. In interviews, her father has shared how fascinated she was by the knight’s moves when she first started playing.
Education
| School | St John Fisher Catholic Primary School |
Family
| Father | Sivanandan Velayutham (Engineer) |
Career Highlights
| Year | Achievement |
| 2020 | Began playing chess during COVID-19 lockdown |
| 2022 | Won World Youth Chess Championships (Under-8, classical, rapid, blitz) |
| 2023 | Won women’s prize at European Blitz Chess Championship (8.5/13) |
| 2024 | Selected for England’s women’s team at the 45th Chess Olympiad |
| 2025 | Defeated GM Peter Wells, earned Woman Grandmaster norm |
Bodhana’s career took off in 2022 when she became England’s first world youth champion in 25 years, winning all three formats (classical, rapid, blitz) with a perfect score. She has also claimed European school titles, prestigious blitz trophies, and high-ranking international wins. In 2024, she became a Woman FIDE Master and the youngest athlete to represent England in any sport at an Olympiad.
Her landmark 2025 victory against Grandmaster Peter Wells made her the youngest female ever to beat a GM. (Source)
Controversies
- Prize Selection (2023): At the European Blitz Chess Championship, she won both the women’s and under-12 prizes but was allowed to claim only one, choosing the women’s prize.
- Young Age Debate (2024): Her selection for England’s Olympiad team at just nine years old sparked discussions about pressure on child athletes, though her family stressed that she enjoys a balanced life.
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