9-yr-old Indian-origin girl chess prodigy to be youngest in England team
Bodhana Sivanandan, a nine-year-old Indian-origin schoolgirl is set to make chess history after she became the youngest person selected to represent England internationally in any sport.
Bodhana, from Harrow in north-west London, will join the England Women's Team at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary, in September. The others in her team are all in their 20s, 30s or 40s.
"I found out yesterday after I came back from school when my dad told me. I was happy. I hope I'll do well and I'll get another title," she told the BBC on Wednesday.
Malcolm Pein, manager of the England chess team, described the schoolgirl as one of the most remarkable British chess prodigies he has ever seen.
"It's exciting she's on course to be one of the best British players ever," he said.
Her father, Siva Sivanandan, says he remains mystified about where his daughter got her talent.
"I'm an engineering graduate, as is my wife, but I'm not good at chess, he said.
Bodhana first picked up chess during