Goa, Oct. 24 -- Eleven-year-old Indian-origin British chess prodigy Bodhana Sivanandan has become the youngest female player to qualify for the International Master (IM) title, breaking a 38-year-old record held by Hungarian chess legend Judit Polgar.

The schoolgirl from Harrow, England, achieved the milestone at the European Club Cup in Budva, Montenegro, after securing her final required IM norm against Sweden's Woman International Master Viktoria Johansson in the tournament's final round.

At 11 years and seven months, Bodhana surpassed Polgar, who achieved the milestone at the age of 12 in 1988. The English Chess Federation praised the youngster's achievement, describing her as an exceptional talent with a promising future in chess....