The 11-year-old London schoolgirl made history at the 46th Chess Olympiad last week when she was crowned the youngest chess player in history to earn the coveted WGM title.
British Indian chess prodigy Bodhana Sivanandan was on Friday recognised by Guinness World Records for her record-breaking achievement as the youngest chess player to achieve the woman grandmaster (WGM) title.
The 11-year-old London schoolgirl made history at the 46th Chess Olympiad last week when she was crowned the youngest chess player in history to earn the coveted WGM title.
Her extraordinary win at Samarkand, Uzbekistan, has now added another milestone to her record-breaking streak after already achieving two Guinness World Records titles aged just 10.
The new title gives Bodhana three Guinness World Records titles, the previous being ”youngest chess Woman International Master” and ”youngest player to defeat a grandmaster in a chess tournament (female)”.
“Bodhana’s latest achievement took place after Guinness World Records 2027 had gone to print, meaning her new title does not appear in this year’s book. Her two earlier record-breaking achievements are, however, featured in the new edition,” stated the global records institution.
Bodhana has received her official Guinness World Records certificates recognising the two earlier achievements, with the third to follow.
“It is an absolute honour to be featured in Guinness World Records 2027, which gives me huge encouragement and a real morale boost. It motivates me to keep pushing myself and achieve even more,” Bodhana said in a statement.
More from SportsHer journey into chess famously began with an unexpected gift and a fascination for one particular piece on the board: the knight. She first became interested in the “horsey” piece as a young child and wanted to treat it like any other toy.
Her father explained that if she took only the knight from the chess set, nobody else would be able to play the game. This led Bodhana to begin learning chess at five years and eight months old, going on to win competitions at age six.
“Enjoy what you’re doing and keep playing the game you love,” she said, in her message to other young chess lovers.
Craig Glenday, Editor-in-Chief of ‘Guinness World Records’, said the schoolgirl’s story is a brilliant example of how a child’s curiosity can lead to something extraordinary.
“These are exceptional achievements, but what makes Bodhana so inspiring is the joy and determination that she continues to bring to the game,” said Glenday.
“We’re delighted to officially recognise this latest milestone and to celebrate Bodhana’s earlier record-breaking achievements in Guinness World Records 2027. We hope her story encourages other young people to follow what fascinates them and see just how far their passion can take them,” she said.
The new Guinness World Records 2027 edition, released recently, includes over 3,000 record achievements from around the world, with over 80 per cent new and updated from the previous year.