11-year-old Indian-origin prodigy Bodhana breaks Polgar’s 38-yo record

Eleven-year-old chess prodigy Bodhana Sivanandan has become the youngest female player in history to qualify for the International Master title. The Harrow schoolgirl secured her final IM norm at the European Club Cup in Budva, Montenegro, after facing Sweden's Viktoria Johansson in the tournament's final round. At 11 years and seven months old, Sivanandan broke a 38-year-old record set by Hungarian chess legend Judit Polgar in 1988.

Sivanandan is also the seventh-youngest player overall to achieve the International Master milestone. Her record-breaking feat follows a rapid rise, including qualifying for the Woman Grandmaster title at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, and winning the British Women's Chess Championship.