India, Oct. 25 -- Indian-origin English chess player Bodhana Sivanandan has become the youngest female International Master (IM) at the age of 11, breaking a 38-year-old record set by Judit Polgar.

Sivanandan, who hails from Harrow in north London, needed only a few rating points to qualify for the open IM title and break Polgar's record, while also securing a place among the 10 youngest IMs of all time. "Congratulations to 11-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan on becoming an International Master with a final-round win at the European Women's Chess Club Cup 2026!" the European Chess Union wrote on X. "Bodhana delivered a fantastic performance, scoring 5.5/7 on Board 1 for She Plays to Win Lionesses, making her the youngest female player in hist...