Profile of Anand: The Lightning Kid

New Delhi:

Call him the Lightning Kid or Vishy, The Tiger from Madras , he would unarguably remain India s chess wonder who carved the rawness of the much-ignored sport into a glittering diamond. With over 20 years of experience in the mind-game, Vishwanathan Anand is no ordinary to captain an all-Grandmaster team for the first time in Indian chess history. He s an achiever who s not just an architect of India s chess history but also has been recognized world over. The art of chess in India has never been so tremendously impactful.

Vishwanathan Anand's upbringing by his parents has played a vital role in his chess success and he has been proudly dedicating his achievements to them. His first moment of success came in as early as 1983 when he first won the sub-junior championship. At the tender age of 15, he was the country s youngest International Grand Master.

In 1987, Anand became the first Asian to win the World Junior Championship at Baguio City in the Philippines. The same year he became the first Indian to earn the coveted Grandmaster title.

As the veteran player came across more of challenges, he grew as a person and professional chess player. The world saw him emerge victorious against the legends like Gary Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov in one of the strongest tournaments Reggio Emilia in 1991.

Take a look at his achievements that grace his presence in the world of chess.

Laurels no ordinary

1985 Arjuna Award, Outstanding Indian Sportsman (Chess)

1987 Soviet Land Nehru Award, for appreciation of outstanding services rendered to the cause of peace and friendship

1987 Padma Shri, youngest ever recipient

1987 National Citizens Award, for distinctive contribution in the field of Chess

1988 Shri Rajiv Gandhi Award Outstanding sports person - Presented during the Great Freedom Run to mark the 40th Anniversary of India s Independence

1988 "Kala Praveena" Conferred Doctorate (Honoris Causa) From the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad

1991-92 Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, first ever recipient

1995 K K Birla Award, person of the year

1997 Chess " Oscar" Best Chess Player of 1997

1998 British Chess Federation Book of the Year Award, award presented for "Vishy Anand - My Best Games of Chess."

1998 Chess " Oscar" Best Chess Player of 1998

1998 Sportstar Millenium Award, from India's premier Sports magazine for being the sportperson of the millenium

2000 Padma Bhushan, for being the first Asian to win the World Championship

2003 Chess " Oscar" Best Chess Player of 2003

2004 Chess " Oscar" Best Chess Player of 2004

2008 Padma Vibhushan from the Government of India, for his World Championship Title and No.1 World Ranking

2008 NDTV Indian Sportsperson Of The Year

For the likes of D.V. Harikrishna, Koneru Humpy and Tania Sachdeva, Anand is the role model who constantly inspires them with his incredible feats. He has taken Indian chess to the heights idolized by serious-minded chess players to take it up as profession. The success of this great Indian chess legend is just soaring higher and higher!