India’s first chess Grandmaster extraordinaire Viswanathan Anand celebrated his 53rd birthday on December 11. Anand was the first global chess legend from India and is undoubtedly one of the greatest rapid chess players of our time. This chess icon not only made history, but also inspired many young Indians to take an interest in chess. He played an important role in strengthening the position of Indian talent.
Viswanathan Anand was a pioneer in the surge as well as popularity of chess in India. It is tough to visualize how chess would have expanded in a nation where it was considered a niche sport without his adjustment. anand is currently out of the competitive field. He has concentrated on developing talented young people as well as pressing them onto the affordable chess platform. Here is some fascinating truths about this “Tiger of Madras”.
Anand was born in Chennai on December 11, 1969. During his childhood, Anand was inspired by his mommy’s rate of interest in chess and started playing with her at the age of six.
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Early Achievements
In 1983, at the age of 14, Anand won the National Junior Chess Championship, declaring the very first nationwide title of his occupation. The following year, he won the International Master title, becoming the youngest Indian to do so. He won the National Chess Championship the following year as well as went on to win the following two consecutive competitions.
Grandmaster Title
The title of Grandmaster was provided by the World Chess Federation (FIDE), and also he ended up being India’s first Grandmaster when he won the Shakti Finance chess event in Coimbatore in 1988, making him the title of “Grandmaster” for the very first time.
World Chess Championship Titles
The World Chess Championship is an annual competition to pick the most effective player on the world. Anand has won 5 times, in 2000, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012, as well as is a four-time “Undisputed World Champ” in chess.
Chess Oscars
This is a global honor elected by chess journalists from all over the world and is provided to the most effective chess gamer on the world. Throughout Anand’s renowned job, he has won the chess Oscar six times. He won the honor in 1997, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2007 and 2008 respectively. The award has considering that been discontinued.
FIDE Legends
Anand is one of the 6 players in history to exceed 2,800 factors on the FIDE ranking list (previously called ELO-Rating). He came to be the fourth player to do so in 2003, and first came to be world number one in April 2007.
Various other honors
Anand authored a publication titled “My Best Games of Chess” to chronicle his chess trip. In 1998 won the British Chess Federation’s Book of the Year Award.
At the age of 18, Anand obtained the coveted Padma Shri award. in 2007, he being the first Indian professional athlete in history to get the Padma Vibhushan honor. In 1991-1992, he likewise became the first person to be granted India’s highest sports honor, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award (currently the Dhyan Chand Major’s Award).
An asteroid discovered in 1988 was officially called after Anand and also is called “( 4538) Vishyanand”. Anand is the only chess gamer after Alexander Alekhine and Anatoly Karpov to have an asteroid named after him.
In 2010, when after that US Head of state Barack Obama checked out India, Anand was the only sportsperson from that country invited to a dinner.