British chess prodigy of Indian origin, Bodhana Sivanandan, has added another remarkable milestone to her already stellar career, becoming one of the youngest players ever to defeat a former world champion. The 10-year-old achieved this feat during the European Club Cup in Rhodes, Greece, by defeating Ukraine’s former Women’s World Champion, Grandmaster Mariya Muzychuk.

Born in London in 2015 to parents from Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, Sivanandan became a Woman FIDE Master in 2024. In July 2025, at just 10 years old, she became the youngest chess player to earn a Woman Grandmaster (WGM) norm, surpassing Hou Yifan’s record of 11 years in 2005.

On Sunday, Sivanandan’s victory over Muzychuk (33, rated 2485, Women’s world No. 13) stood out as a stunning upset, considering she was rated 2205

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