Bodhana Sivanandan Becomes Youngest Female International Master

Why in the News?

11-year-old Indian-origin English chess prodigy **Bodhana Sivanandan** scripted history by becoming the **youngest female International Master (IM)** in chess history, breaking a 38-year-old record previously held by legendary Hungarian player Judit Polgár.

Key Features / Major Points:

- Historic Record Broken: Surpassed Hungarian Grandmaster **Judit Polgár's** longstanding 38-year record to achieve the open IM title at just 11 years of age.

- Tournament Milestones: Sealed her final norm at the **European Women’s Chess Club Cup 2026**, scoring an impressive 5.5/7 on Board 1 representing 'She Plays to Win Lionesses'.

- Decisive Performance: Defeated Belarusian IM Olga Badelka, held Georgian GM Nino Batsiashvili to a draw, and defeated Sweden's WIM Viktoria Johansson in 32 moves, pushing her FIDE rating past the threshold to 2399.4+.

- Top 10 Youngest All-Time IMs: Secured a spot among the **10 youngest open International Masters of all time**, joining elite names such as R Praggnanandhaa (India), D Gukesh (India), Faustino Oro (Argentina), and Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan).

Static GK Facts:

- FIDE (International Chess Federation):

- Established: **July 20, 1924** (Paris, France).

- Headquarters: **Lausanne, Switzerland**.

- International Master (IM): The second-highest official title awarded by FIDE after the Grandmaster (GM) title.

- Judit Polgár: Widely regarded as the strongest female chess player of all time; became a Grandmaster at 15 years and 4 months in 1991.

One-Liner Quiz (All Competitive Exams):

Q: Which 11-year-old Indian-origin player broke Judit Polgár's 38-year-old record to become the youngest female International Master (IM)?

A: Bodhana Sivanandan

Q: In which tournament did Bodhana Sivanandan achieve her historic final IM norm?

A: European Women’s Chess Club Cup 2026

Q: Where is the headquarters of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) located?

A: Lausanne, Switzerland

Q: Which country does legendary chess Grandmaster Judit Polgár represent?

A: Hungary

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