Viswanathan Anand, known as Vishy,is a former World Chess Champion. He comes from India. Vishy is the oldest player in modern times to become classical World Champion for the first time: he was 37 when he won in 2007.
Five time winner of the World Chess Championship, Indian chess Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand dominated the world of chess for six years from 2007 to 2013. The former World Chess Champion is among the only two persons to have won the Classical, Rapid, and Blitz world championships and the only one to have won the world championship playing in Match, Tournament and Knockout formats. Anand was first introduced to chess by his mother who was a big chess aficionado. She was a good player but was never associated with any club. The young boy inherited his mother’s love for chess and started playing the game as a six year old. His mother’s motivation and encouragement went a long way in shaping him up into the great player he eventually became. He turned professional early on and became the National Sub-Junior Chess Champion at the age of 14. More success followed when at the age of 15 he won the title of International Master and became the youngest Indian to do so. At the age of 18, Anand became India’s first Grandmaster. He won his first World Championship in 2000; he would win the championship four more times. He is known to be an unassuming and simple person who is liked by all, including his former rivals.
Anand is considered one of the best contemporary chess players in the world, especially renowned for his versatility. He is a five time winner of the World Chess Championship and was the undisputed World No.1 from 2007 to 2013.
He is the proud recipient of several prestigious awards. He won the first ever Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award—India’s highest sporting honour—in 1991-92.
In 2007 he was presented with the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second highest civilian award for his achievements in chess. He was the first ever sportsperson in India to receive this award.
Though retaining his Indian citizenship, Vishy has been living in Spain for the past decade.
