Viswanathan Anand Birthday: 5 Must-Know Facts About The Chess Wizard

Vishwanathan Anand is a household name when it comes to Chess in India It’s hard to imagine how chess would have advanced in India if it wasn't for Anand. The five time world champion has been solely responsible.

Anand was regarded as the best rapid player of his generation. Let us find out some interesting facts about Viswanathan Anand

1. Born To A Chess-Playing Mother!

Viswanathan Anand was born on December 11, 1969, in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu. His father, Viswanathan Iyer, is a retired head of Southern Railways, and his mother, Susheela, was a Chess Player. He is the youngest of their 3 children and has a brother and a sister.

2. A Well-Educated Player

Anand did his schooling from the Don Bosco Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Chennai and holds a degree in Bachelor of Commerce from Loyola College, Chennai.

3. Youngest International Master!

At the age of 14, he tasted his first success at the National level by winning the National Sub-Junior Chess Championship in 1983. Next year, he became the youngest Indian to win the title of International Master, and a year later, he became the national chess champion and repeated it a couple more times.

4. First Indian To Become World Champion

In 2000, Anand won the FIDE World Chess Championship for the first time after defeating Alexei Shirov in the final match; held in Tehran and became the first Indian to win the title.

5. The First Recipient Of India’s Highest Sports Award

Being such a brilliant Chess player, awards are bound to come. Anand was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri at the age of 18. Viswanathan was the first Indian sports player in history to get the Padma Vibhushan award in 2007. He was also the first recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 1991-92, India’s highest sporting honor.