Indian-origin Bodhana Sivanandan becomes England's highest-rated female chess player at just 11 years

Former British PM Rishi Sunak, congratulated Bodhana and recalled the time he played a game with her at his official residence.

Indian-origin chess prodigy Bodhana Sivanandan has become England's top-rated female player, according to the latest rating list of the International Chess Federation (FIDE).

The 11-year-old, whose parents moved from Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu to England in 2007, has 2366 FIDE rating points.

The primary school student based in North London has overtaken four-time British women's champion, Lan Yao, who is 25, at the top of the FIDE list for England.

With this, Bodhana has also broken into the world's top 100 women for the first time, currently sitting at number 72, stated the English Chess Federation in a press release.

"It's an extraordinary rise for a Harrow schoolgirl who took up the game during the Covid-19 lockdown after finding a chessboard and set in a bag her father wanted to throw out," the release added.

Former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, congratulated Bodhana and recalled the time he played a game with her at his official residence.

"Huge congratulations to Bodhana Sivanandan on becoming England's top female chess player at just 11 years old. We once played each other in the Downing Street garden. Let's just say her success has not come as a shock," he posted on 'X'.

Bodhana became a Woman International Master last year.

She went on to outwit Ukraine's former world champion, Grandmaster Mariya Muzychuk, at the European Club Cup in Rhodes, Greece.

"She is blazing a trail not just for women and girls in the game, but for all chess players in England. Across all sports, she must be one of the most prodigious talents England has ever produced," said English Chess Federation CEO Richard Walsh.

(With inputs from PTI)