“If revenge motivates you, go for it! But the main thing is to set your game in order.”
In India, the game chess is synonymous with the name Viswanathan Anand. The best chess player in India and 15th chess champion of the world, he has many laurels to his credit.
Born in 1969 in Tamil Nadu in a South Indian Brahmin family, he learnt this game from his mother at a tender age of 6. In a country obsessed with a cricket, achievements by Viswanathan Anand have boosted the importance of chess, encouraging many young enthusiasts to take it up as a full-time career.
When he was just 15 years old, he had already achieved international fame by winning the Asian Junior Championship under 20. He gained the fame of as the “Lightning Kid” for his speed and tactics in making his moves. In 1988, he became the International Grandmaster. Since then, there has been no looking back as he set to become the first Asian to become a World Champion in 2000. He was honoured with the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, Arjuna Award, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Sportstar Millenium Award.
“Preparedness for a game that usually lasts four-five hours requires good physical condition and also steady nerves.”
He recently launched his autobiography “Mind Master”, which is an account of his journey as a chess master and the hurdles he faced. The book mentions how his wife has been a constant travel companion and manager, helping him focus on the game and cope with emotional upheaval during a big game. Currently, a biopic on his professional and personal life is also in the pipeline. Interestingly, in 1988, he had published a book that described a collection of his games.
“I feel that schools and corporates should help the government in popularising sports in the country. Blaming the government for every sporting debacle will not be fair.”
He is currently training young aspirants who dream of becoming the world champion. Besides, he has also been actively participating in chess tournaments for raising funds for families affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. According to Celebrity New Worth, as of 2021, the net worth of this 51-yeard old champion is a whopping USD 3 million. Apart from this, he has been selected as the ambassador of World Wide Fund for its environmental education program.
Undoubtedly, he is the best chess player India has ever produced, as of today.
“We want more women players to take up chess. There are few participants at the national level and hope it will grow.”
Birth Score – 3/5
Pride Score – 5/5
An impressive 8/10 Notable Brahmin Score.