Creating History at Young Age
At the last round of the 2025 British Chess Championships in Liverpool on Sunday, 10-year-old British girl Bodhana Sivanandan, who has Indian ancestry, made history by defeating Grandmaster Peter Wells. She defeated a grandmaster, making her the youngest female chess player in history. At the age of ten years, five months, and three days, Bodhana broke the record that had been held by American Carissa Yip since 2019, when she first defeated a grandmaster at the age of ten years and eleven months.
She enters chess halls with a religious vibhuti streaked on her forehead and a little bindi. She only responds with one sentence and doesn’t talk much. In order to reach the opposite side of the board, she frequently carries a cushioned seat with her to support herself on a chair. However, once Bodhana gets into the game, her talent for positional chess and end-game mastery, which appear to have been passed down from that legendary José Raúl Capablanca, can defeat giants.
The Accidental Beginning
Bodhana, a Woman FIDE Master, was born and raised in Trichy, Tamil Nadu, until her father, Sivanandan Velayutham, an IT worker, relocated the family to London in 2007. Despite being young, Bodhana has already established herself as the face of British chess. She was born and raised in London. In August 2023, when she was eight years old, then British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak even asked her to 10 Downing Street to unveil a funding package for chess in the UK.
When Bodhana was only five years old, she began playing chess. We didn’t want to force her to play chess. At home, she just happened onto a chess board and began playing.Chess for Bodhana happened almost by accident.
Chess and Vega Schools Gurgaon: Developing Young Minds through Strategy
By incorporating critical thinking, life skills, and strategic growth into their curricula, Vega Schools in Gurgaon are revolutionizing education. Chess is one special and effective way they accomplish this. Chess is more than simply a game at Vega; it’s a teaching tool that helps pupils become more confident, patient, and sharp-minded.
In addition to participating in casual games and competitive tournaments, students are urged to study techniques and get familiar with the rules. Chess is proven to improve cognitive skills like focus, memory, and problem-solving, all of which are essential for success in school and in life. Vega’s emphasis on inquiry-based learning, which encourages pupils to think critically, ask probing questions, and reflect on their own, is closely related to their chess teaching methodology.
Competitions and peer to peer learning integration
The open learning environment at Vega enhances chess instruction even further. Chess lessons can be held in the school’s adaptable, cooperative spaces, which foster strategic conversations and peer-to-peer learning. Youngsters frequently play in groups, discussing strategies and evaluating previous games. This fosters leadership and teamwork, two other traits that Vega Schools highly respect.
A number of Vega pupils have demonstrated exceptional chess skills by competing at the state and interschool levels. The school is proud of these accomplishments, but more significantly, it honors the path taken by each student as they gain perseverance and strategic acumen via the game.
Since chess can improve both academic and emotional intelligence, Vega Schools in Gurgaon have made it a pillar of their curriculum. Vega is preparing pupils for a future that requires strategic thinking, moral behavior, and mental agility by considering chess as a vital life-skill exercise rather than merely an extracurricular activity. Vega is building tomorrow’s leaders by fostering young chess minds today. These leaders will be intelligent, resilient, and prepared to face any challenge the world presents.
Vega Schools offers holistic education to children in Delhi NCR and is rated among the top Schools in Gurgaon. Its modern infrastructure, facilities, and experienced teachers are a big asset to the learning & development of students, be it for Nursery, Primary or Senior children making Vega Schools the best schools in Gurgaon. For information about admission please visit the Vega Schools campuses in Sector 48 and Sector 76 Gurugram.