Viswanathan Anand was born on December 11, 1969. He is a former world chess champion and an Indian chess grandmaster. He became India’s first grandmaster in 1988 and is one of the few players to have crossed an Elo rating of 2800, which he first did in 2006. Later on, he became an inspiration for many youngsters, and they were inspired and pushed to play chess. Many young youngsters have followed in his footsteps and represented India in the game of chess.
For your knowledge, Anand was the first player to get the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, which has since been renamed the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. In addition, he was the first player to be awarded the Padma Shri.
Viswanathan Anand’s personal life and family
He was born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, on December 11, 1969. His father, Krishnamurthy Viswanathan, was a former Southern Railways general manager, while his mother, Sushila, was a home-maker, chess enthusiast, and socialite.
In 1996, he married Aruna. They have a son, born on April 9, 2011. Akhil Anand is his name. Anand is a Hindu who appreciates the tranquillity and delight of temples. He credits his daily prayers with allowing him to create a “heightened state of mind” that allows him to focus better when playing chess.
Viswanathan Anand’s Education
Anand attended Don Bosco Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Egmore, Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Loyola College, Chennai. He began playing chess at the age of six from his mother, but he mastered the game’s strategies in Manila, where he resided with his parents from 1978 to the 1980s while his father worked as a consultant for the Philippine National Railways.
Viswanathan Anand’s Career and Achievements
In the year 2000, he became the first Asian to win the World Championship. He has won every Chess circuit classical, fast, and blind chess event.
Anand has won the renowned Leon Magistral prize nine times, the Corsica Masters six times, and the Mainz Classic a whopping eleven times. His accomplishments in quick chess distinguish him as a one-of-a-kind player.
If his ability as a Rapid Chess player is renowned, his records in traditional Chess are unrivalled. In January 2006, he became the only player in chess history to win the Corus Chess event five times in its 69-year existence. He has five times won the famous Corus event (1989, 1998, 2003, 2004 & 2006). He has won the important Linares Chess event three times (1998, 2007, 2008), the Dortmund Sparkassen three times (1996, 2000, and 2004), the Madrid Masters, and Biel, among other events.
Furthermore, he won the first and second FIDE World Cups, which were held in Shenyang (2000) and Hyderabad, respectively (2002).
Viswanathan Anand, one of the sport’s few non-Soviet players, has received several international honours. He is the proud owner of the Chess Oscars, which are granted to the finest player of the year. In the years 1997, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2007, and 2008, he got this prize six times.
In the chess world, Anand is regarded as the Gentleman Champion. He is an outspoken advocate for children with cerebral palsy (Vidyasagar). He is fluent in several languages.
Anand is a member of India’s chess tournaments in schools programme, the NIIT Mind Champions Academy, which has introduced the game of chess to over one million pupils.
Viswanathan Anand Fun Facts
Viswanathan Anand is a multilingual man. He is conversant in several languages, including Tamil, English, French, German, and Spanish.
In 1984, he became the first Indian to be awarded the title of International Master. He was only 15 years old at the time.
Because of his excellent chess play, he is affectionately known as “Vishy” and “Tiger of Madras.”
Anand is also quite interested in astronomy.
His travels have led him to almost 50 nations. Anand is a keen observer of current events and global business.
Viswanathan Anand’s net worth
Viswanathan Anand has achieved the summit of the global ranking of one, thus it is not unexpected that the Indian chess champion has amassed a large fortune via his talent over the years. Anand has a net worth of $3 million USD, according to Celebrity Net Worth. He was appointed as the worldwide brand ambassador for NIIT, a multinational IT services firm.
