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Bodhana Sivanandan Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 22, 2026 • 3 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth7 March 2015

Age11 years

BirthplaceHarrow, London, England

ProfessionChess Player

NationalityBritish

Marital statusUnmarried

FamilyFather - Sivanandan Velayutham; Mother - Lakshmy Sivanandan

Bodhana Sivanandan Biography

Bodhana Sivanandan was born on 7 March 2015 in Harrow, London. Her family has roots in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, and her parents moved to London before her birth.

Early life and background

Bodhana Sivanandan was born on 7 March 2015 in Harrow, London. Her family has roots in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, and her parents moved to London before her birth. Her father, Sivanandan Velayutham, works in the IT sector; her mother is Lakshmy Sivanandan. Bodhana attended St John Fisher Primary School and grew up in a Hindu household.

She discovered chess at around age five during the COVID-19 lockdown after coming across a chessboard at home. Her father, who knew only the basics of the game, introduced her to online learning resources and supported her early practice. She also learned piano and violin, and enjoys dancing, though chess became her primary focus.

Career

Sivanandan’s progress in competitive chess was swift. Within a year of learning the game she was competing internationally and by March 2022 she had claimed silver medals in both rapid and blitz at the European School Championships in her age group. A few months later at the European Schools Chess Championship in Rhodes she won every game across formats and collected three gold medals.

Her results at youth events led to recognition on the wider stage. In 2023 she topped the world blitz rankings for girls under eight and performed strongly at adult events as well. At the European Blitz Championship in Zagreb in December 2023 she scored 8.5/13, defeated titled players and drew with a grandmaster while winning the women’s prize at just eight years old.

By early 2024 Sivanandan’s live rating exceeded 2000, placing her among the highest-rated eight-year-olds in FIDE history. That year she also became the youngest athlete ever selected to represent England at the Chess Olympiad, competing in Budapest alongside much older teammates.

Her title progress continued year after year. She earned the Woman Candidate Master title in 2023, progressed to Woman FIDE Master in 2024, and in 2025 achieved the Woman International Master title. In July 2025 she recorded a performance that earned her a Woman Grandmaster norm at the Dole Trophy in Aix-en-Provence, becoming the youngest player to secure a WGM norm.

In August 2025 Sivanandan defeated Grandmaster Peter Wells in the final round of the British Chess Championships in Liverpool. That win made her the youngest female chess player to beat a grandmaster, setting a new benchmark at 10 years, 5 months and 3 days and surpassing the previous record.

Public profile

Sivanandan has been visible off the board as well. In 2023 she was among a group of young players invited to 10 Downing Street as part of a government initiative to support chess. She serves as an ambassador for ChessKid.com and has appeared in widely shared video content with former British champions.

Observers note small personal touches that reflect her age and stature: she has said she sometimes carries a cushioned seat to tournaments so she can reach the board comfortably. Her favored pieces include the knight and queen, and she began playing largely out of curiosity and enjoyment rather than any early plan to pursue chess professionally.

Latest updates

Highlights from 2024–2025 include Sivanandan becoming the youngest England representative at the Chess Olympiad, achieving a WGM norm in France in July 2025, and making history at the 2025 British Chess Championships by defeating a grandmaster in August and receiving the Woman International Master title thereafter. These milestones marked continued acceleration from youth dominance into notable results against adult competition.

Despite her rapid ascent, Sivanandan remains a young student and continues to balance school, practice and other interests. Her coaching has included guidance from Grandmaster Judit Polgár, and she competes under the England federation with FIDE ID 497592.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is prepared from the public references listed below and reviewed for clarity. If you spot an outdated detail about Bodhana Sivanandan, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

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Recent Work

Dole Trophy

Earned a Woman Grandmaster norm in Aix-en-Provence with a 2401 performance rating; became the youngest player to achieve a WGM norm.

2025
British Chess Championships

Defeated Grandmaster Peter Wells in the final round and became the youngest-ever female to beat a grandmaster; subsequently awarded the Woman International Master title.

2025
European Blitz Championship, Zagreb

Scored 8.5/13, defeated titled players, drew with a grandmaster, and won the women’s prize at age eight.

2023
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Career Highlights

  1. World Youth U-8 triple champion (2023)
  2. Three gold medals at European Schools Championship with a perfect 24/24 score (2022)
  3. Youngest ever England representative at the Chess Olympiad (2024)
  4. Woman International Master title (2025)
  5. Youngest player to earn a Woman Grandmaster norm (2025)
  6. Youngest female to defeat a grandmaster (2025)
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Bodhana Sivanandan born?

Bodhana Sivanandan was born on 7 March 2015.

What is Bodhana Sivanandan known for?

Bodhana Sivanandan is known for chess Player.

What is Bodhana Sivanandan’s marital status?

Bodhana Sivanandan's marital status is listed as Unmarried.