Viswanathan Anand Turns 54: The Greatest Achievements of the Indian Grandmaster

India's chess gladiator Viswanathan Anand turns 54 today. On December 11, 1969 Viswanathan Anand was born in Tamil Nadu and the grandmaster is one of the greatest to ever grace the sport of chess.

The five-time World Champion has conquered many records in his career and has risen to many summits in his career.

Viswanathan Anand Biography

Born: December 11, 1969

Place: Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu

Viswanathan Anand was the youngest of the three siblings. He started playing chess at the age of six but learned the tricks of the sport in Manilla, Phillippines while staying with his parents in the country.

During the early 1980s, Anand was known as 'Lightning Kid' for his rapid pace on a Chess Board. He received his grandmaster title in 1988, at the age of 18, the first Indian to do so.

Viswanathan Anand Achievements

• Anand was the first Indian to win a Chess championship in 1987 and he earned the Grandmaster title in 1988.
• He Won the World Chess Championship five times (2000, 2002, 2007, 2008, 2010)
• Reached a peak Elo rating of 2817 in March 2011.
• Anand triumphed the FIDE World Rapid Chess Championship in 2017.
• He won the Chess World Cup twice in 2000 and 2005.
• In 2006, Anand became the 4th player in history to cross the 2800 Elo rating after Garry Kasparov, Vladimir Kramnik and Veselin Topalov.

Indian Civilian Awards

Anand has also won prestigious awards like the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Padma Shri, Arjuna Award, Padma Bhushan and the Padma Vibhushan. Anand was also the first person to receive Padma Vibushan.

Some Unique Facts of Viswanathan Anand

• Vishy learnt the game of chess from his mother and she was his first mentor.

• Chess Oscar is an award in chess which is awarded to the best chess player every year. He has won it 6 times, in 1997, 1998, 2003, and 2004, 2007 & 2008.
  
  
• Anand was the only sportsperson to have a dinner with former India PM Manmohan Singh and then USA president Barack Obama when the latter came in a visit to India in 2010.
  
  
• Viswanathan Anand is a native Tamil speaker, but apart from being fluent in Tamil and English, he is also well-versed in Spanish, German and French.
  
  
• Viswanathan Anand was once denied an honorary doctorate from the University of Hyderabad after they confused his citizenship. He later declined to accept the honour.
  
  
• Anand was the first Indian sportsperson to win the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 1991-92.