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Viswanathan Anand

Viswanathan Anand is an Indian chess Grandmaster and a former World Chess Champion. Widely regarded as one of the greatest chess players in history, he became India's first Grandmaster in 1988 and was the undisputed World Champion from 2007 to 2013. Known for his rapid play and intuitive style, Anand played a central role in popularising chess in India and inspired a generation of Indian players.

Key facts

Full name Viswanathan Anand
Born 11 December 1969, Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, India
Nickname Vishy; the Tiger of Madras; the Lightning Kid
Title Grandmaster (1988)
Federation India
World Champion 2000–2002 (FIDE); 2007–2013 (Undisputed)
Spouse Aruna Anand
Residence Chennai, India
Major honours Padma Shri (1987), Padma Bhushan (2000), Padma Vibhushan (2007), Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (1991–92)

Background

Anand was born in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, and grew up in Chennai. He was introduced to chess by his mother, Sushila, who was an avid player herself. His father, Viswanathan Iyer, served with the Indian Railways. The family lived briefly in the Philippines during his childhood, where Anand followed a televised chess programme that helped sharpen his game.

He completed his schooling at Don Bosco Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Egmore, Chennai, and pursued a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Loyola College, Chennai.

Career timeline

  • 1983: Won the National Sub-Junior Chess Championship at age 14.
  • 1984: Became the youngest Indian to earn the International Master title.
  • 1985: Won the Indian National Chess Championship for the first time.
  • 1987: Became the first Asian to win the World Junior Chess Championship.
  • 1988: Became India's first Grandmaster.
  • 1991–92: Awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, the first sportsperson to receive the honour.
  • 1995: Played Garry Kasparov for the PCA World Chess Championship in New York; lost the match.
  • 2000: Won the FIDE World Chess Championship, defeating Alexei Shirov in Tehran.
  • 2003: Won the FIDE World Rapid Chess Championship.
  • 2007: Won the unified World Chess Championship in Mexico City, becoming the undisputed World Champion.
  • 2008: Defended the title against Vladimir Kramnik in Bonn.
  • 2010: Defended the title against Veselin Topalov in Sofia.
  • 2012: Defended the title against Boris Gelfand in Moscow.
  • 2013: Lost the World Championship match to Magnus Carlsen in Chennai.
  • 2014: Won the Candidates Tournament in Khanty-Mansiysk; lost the rematch with Carlsen in Sochi.
  • 2017: Won the World Rapid Chess Championship in Riyadh.
  • 2022: Elected Deputy President of FIDE.

Playing style and achievements

Anand is one of the few players to have won the World Chess Championship in three different formats: knockout, tournament, and match. He has been ranked World No. 1 by FIDE and was one of the first players to cross the 2800 Elo rating mark. Renowned for his speed of calculation, he has won numerous rapid and blitz events, including multiple Corus/Tata Steel Chess Tournament titles in Wijk aan Zee and the Linares super-tournament in Spain.

Honours and awards

  • Padma Shri (1987)
  • Arjuna Award (1985)
  • Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (1991–92)
  • Padma Bhushan (2000)
  • Padma Vibhushan (2007)
  • Chess Oscar – multiple times (1997, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008)
  • Honorary doctorate from the University of Hyderabad and other institutions

Personal life

Anand married Aruna in 1996; she manages much of his professional schedule and team. The couple has a son, Akhil, born in 2011. Anand is based in Chennai and has lived for periods in Collado Mediano, Spain.

Books

  • My Best Games of Chess (1998; later revised editions)
  • Mind Master: Winning Lessons from a Champion's Life (2019), co-authored with Susan Ninan

Legacy

Anand's success transformed chess in India from a niche pursuit into a mainstream sport, contributing directly to the rise of subsequent Indian Grandmasters such as Pentala Harikrishna, Koneru Humpy, Dommaraju Gukesh, R. Praggnanandhaa, and Arjun Erigaisi. He founded the Westbridge Anand Chess Academy (WACA) to mentor young Indian talent. Chennai, his home city, has since become a recognised global hub for chess and hosted the 44th Chess Olympiad in 2022, where Anand served as the chief mentor of the Indian contingent.

References

  • FIDE player profile and rating archives.
  • All India Chess Federation records.
  • Anand, Viswanathan and Susan Ninan, Mind Master, Hachette India, 2019.
  • Government of India, Padma Awards directory.