A ten-year-old girl from Harrow has made history by becoming the youngest person to win the woman international master title in chess.
Bodhana Sivanandan, who attends St John Fisher Catholic Primary School in Pinner, has also become the youngest female player to beat a chess grandmaster at the 2025 British Chess Championship earlier this month.
She first took up chess during the Covid pandemic and now plays tournaments around the world.
Bodhana is an ambassador for She Plays To Win (SPTW), a charity that works to encourage more schoolgirls and young women to take up chess. Women remain underrepresented in the sport, with only 11% of FIDE-rated players worldwide being female.
As part of its work, She Plays To Win is offering primary and secondary schools in Harrow tuition packages starting at £42 a year per child. The offer includes a year’s membership to the online training site Chesskid, worth £38 if purchased separately, as well as access to online and in-person tournaments.
Bodhana, 10, said: “Chess has given me so many exciting opportunities. I’ve played games against grandmasters and met friends from all over the world.
“I want girls to know that chess isn’t just for boys. Girls can be just as good as boys, if not better! I hope lots of Harrow schoolgirls will give it a try, and you never know where it could take you.”
Her father, Siva, said: “When Bodhana first picked up a chess set during the pandemic, I never imagined it would lead to this.
“Chess has helped her grow in confidence, patience, and resilience. I’d encourage any parent to give their daughters the chance to try it. They might surprise themselves.”
Lorin D’Costa, founder of She Plays To Win, said: “Bodhana’s achievements show what’s possible when girls are given the encouragement and opportunities they deserve.
“With only 11% of rated players worldwide being female, there’s still a huge gap to close.
“We want to see many more girls in Harrow and across the UK playing chess, competing, and enjoying the game.
“If you want to encourage bright girls at your school, please get in touch to see how we can help teach them a game that boosts their critical thinking and self-esteem.”
Chris Mitchell is the founder and editor of Harrow Online, Harrow’s leading local news platform.
He launched Harrow Online in 2010 as a Facebook page sharing local news and information. Since then, it has grown into a trusted source for breaking news, crime, council decisions, planning, transport, business and community stories across the borough.
Harrow Online reaches hundreds of thousands of readers each month and has a social media audience of more than 200,000 followers.
For news tips, press releases or enquiries, contact Chris at info@harrowonline.org.
