Rishi Sunak Congratulates Young Chess Prodigy Bodhana Sivanandan on Her Historic Achievement

Rishi Sunak Congratulates Young Chess Prodigy Bodhana Sivanandan on Historic Achievement

April 3, 2026

In a heartfelt message on X, British politician and former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak extended his warmest congratulations to 11-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan, who recently made headlines by becoming England’s top female chess player. Sunak, who reminisced about a friendly match they once played in the garden of Downing Street, expressed that Sivanandan’s remarkable achievement comes as no surprise given her extraordinary talent.

“Huge congratulations to Bodhana Sivanandan on becoming England’s top female chess player at just 11 years old,” Sunak wrote. “We once played each other in the Downing Street garden, and I knew then she had a bright future ahead.”

Who is Bodhana Sivanandan?

Born on March 7, 2015, in London to parents from Tiruchirappalli, India, Sivanandan has quickly risen through the ranks of the chess world. Recently securing the 72nd position in the International Chess Federation’s global women’s rankings, she has achieved an impressive rating of 2,366, surpassing 25-year-old Lan Yao to claim her title as England’s top-rated female player.

Sivanandan’s journey into the world of chess began at the tender age of five. During the pandemic, she discovered a chessboard that her father, an IT professional, had intended to donate. “I said it’s a game but she didn’t believe me, so I had to put on a YouTube video to explain,” her father recalled. “Slowly her interest got better and better, and she started playing better as well, so we kept playing more and more chess.”

Her dedication paid off when, at just seven years old, she participated in the European Schools Championship in 2022, winning all 24 of her matches and bringing home three gold medals. By 2023, she had earned the title of women’s candidate master from FIDE, as her rating soared past 2,000.

In 2024, Sivanandan made history by becoming the youngest person to represent England in any sport at the Chess Olympiad in Hungary. A year later, she achieved another milestone by defeating 60-year-old grandmaster Peter Wells at the British Chess Championships in Liverpool, making her the youngest female player to do so.

Now a sixth-year student, Sivanandan has her sights set on becoming the youngest grandmaster in history. She follows in the footsteps of other British chess prodigies, including Shreyas Royal, who became the UK’s youngest grandmaster at age 15 in 2024, and Supratit Banerjee, who was recently elevated to the rank of master at just 12.

As Bodhana Sivanandan continues to break barriers and set records, her inspiring journey serves as a testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and the love of the game. With the support of figures like Rishi Sunak and a growing community of chess enthusiasts, the future looks bright for this young talent.