Biography
Viswanathan Anand, born on December 11, 1969, in Chennai, India, is one of the most celebrated chess players in history. He became the first grandmaster from India. He attended schools like Don Bosco Matriculation Higher Secondary School and St. Bede's Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School, before studying at Loyola College, University of Madras. In 1988, Anand achieved grandmaster status, paving the way for future Indian chess players.
Anand's world championship journey began in 2000 when he defeated Alexei Shirov in a six-game match to win the FIDE World Chess Championship. He kept this title until 2002. His biggest achievement came in 2007 when he became the undisputed world champion. He defended his title against tough competitors, including Vladimir Kramnik in 2008, Veselin Topalov in 2010, and Boris Gelfand in 2012, marking him as one of the top players of his time.
His championship reign ended in 2013 when Magnus Carlsen defeated him, with another loss to Carlsen in their 2014 rematch, despite Anand winning the Candidates Tournament that year. Known as 'Lightning Kid' in the 1980s for his skill in rapid and blitz formats, Anand won the FIDE World Rapid Chess Championship in 2003 and 2017 and the World Blitz Chess Cup in 2000.
Beyond playing, Anand played a significant role in chess development. In 2022, he was elected Deputy President of FIDE, the world chess federation, showing his ongoing influence in the chess world. His peak FIDE rating is the eighth-highest ever, and he was world number one for 21 months, the sixth-longest time on record. He won Chess Oscar awards in 1997, 1998, 2004, 2007, and 2008 for his outstanding performances.
The Indian government honored Anand with top awards, including the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 1991, becoming the first to receive India's highest sports honor. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2001 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2007, as the first sportsperson to receive India's second-highest civilian award. He also received the CNN-News18 Indian of the Year award in 2007, solidifying his status as a national icon who helped make chess more popular in India.
Before Fame
Growing up in Chennai during the 1970s and 1980s, Anand learned chess at age six from his mother. He quickly impressed everyone with his fast playing style, earning the nickname 'Lightning Kid.' At that time, India's chess scene was limited, with not many grandmasters worldwide and little support for developing chess.
Despite these hurdles, Anand's talent grew while he attended Don Bosco Matriculation Higher Secondary School and St. Bede's Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School. He went on to Loyola College at the University of Madras, though his chess career increasingly took him around the world for competitions. During the 1980s, Soviet players dominated chess, so Anand's rise as a strong player was important for making the sport more international.
Key Achievements
- Five-time World Chess Champion, holding the title from 2000-2002 and 2007-2013
- First grandmaster from India, achieving the title in 1988
- Two-time World Rapid Chess Champion (2003, 2017) and World Blitz Chess Cup Champion (2000)
- Elected Deputy President of FIDE in 2022
- First recipient of India's Khel Ratna Award in 1991 and first sportsperson to receive Padma Vibhushan in 2007
Did You Know?
- 01.He became the fourth player in chess history to surpass the 2800 Elo rating mark in April 2006, joining an elite group with Kramnik, Topalov, and Kasparov
- 02.Anand was nicknamed 'Lightning Kid' in the 1980s due to his exceptionally fast playing speed during his youth
- 03.He won the Chess World Cup twice in consecutive years, 2000 and 2002, demonstrating consistency in knockout tournament formats
- 04.In 2007, he became the first sportsperson ever to receive the Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian honor
- 05.His world number-one ranking lasted for 21 months, making it the sixth-longest period anyone has held the top position in chess history
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Arjuna Award | — | — |
| CNN-News18 Indian of the Year | 2007 | — |
| Padma Bhushan | 2001 | — |
| Chess Oscar | 1998 | — |
| Padma Vibhushan | 2007 | — |
| Chess Oscar | 2004 | — |
| Chess Oscar | 1997 | — |
| Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in Sports and Games | 1991 | — |
| Chess Oscar | 2007 | — |
| Chess Oscar | 2008 | — |
| Chess Oscar | 2003 | — |
| Order of Friendship | — | — |
| Padma Shri in sports | — | — |
| Padma Vibhushan | — | — |
| world chess champion | 2000 | — |
| world chess champion | 2007 | — |
| Padma Shri | — | — |