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.
| 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) |
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.
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.
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.
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.