Our Bureau
London
Indian-origin chess prodigies Bodhana Sivanandan and Shreyas Royal have created history at the 2026 British Chess Championships, with the young stars winning the women’s and open titles respectively. Their victories underline the growing influence of Indian-origin talent in British chess.
Seventeen-year-old Shreyas Royal became the British Chess Champion, securing the open title with an unbeaten score of 7.5 points from nine rounds. His achievement came after a strong tournament run emerging ahead of leading players, including Luke McShane and Michael Adams. He also collected a £10,000 prize for his historic win.
Royal, who was born in Bengaluru and moved to the UK with his family as a young child, has already established himself as one of England’s leading young players. At 15, he became England’s youngest-ever grandmaster, breaking the previous record.
Eleven-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan added another landmark to the championship by winning the British Women’s Championship. She emerged as the highest-placed female player in the main championship, finishing ahead of several experienced competitors. She had earlier attracted international attention for defeating grandmasters at an exceptionally young age and becoming England’s top-ranked female player.
The performances also highlight the increasing presence of Indian-origin youngsters in British chess. At the 2025 British Championships, Indian-origin players accounted for a significant share of junior podium finishes, while several young players competed directly in the main open championship alongside established grandmasters.
The 2026 championship, held at the University of Warwick in Coventry, featured a strong field and a big prize fund. Royal and Sivanandan’s success has further strengthened their status as two of the brightest young names in international chess.