Viswanathan Anand

In this Tamil name, there is no surname or family name. The name Viswanathan is a patronym, and the person should be referred to by their given name, Anand.

Viswanathan Anand
Anand in 2016
Deputy President of International Chess Federation (FIDE)
Incumbent
Assumed office
7 August 2022
PresidentArkady Dvorkovich
Personal details
Born
Anand Viswanathan[1]

(1969-12-11) 11 December 1969
Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, India
Spouse
Aruna Anand
​
(m. 1996)​
ChildrenAnand Akhil (son)
OccupationChess grandmaster
AwardsFull list
Chess career
CountryIndia
TitleGrandmaster (1988)
World Champion2000–2002 (FIDE)
2007–2013 (Undisputed)
FIDE rating2743 (September 2025)
Peak rating2817 (March 2011)
RankingNo. 14 (September 2025)
Peak rankingNo. 1 (April 2007)

Viswanathan "Vishy" Anand (born 11 December 1969) is an Indian chess grandmaster. Anand is a five-time World Chess Champion,[2] a two-time World Rapid Chess Champion, a two-time Chess World Cup Champion,[3] a World Blitz Chess Cup Champion and six-time Chess Oscar Winner. He became the first grandmaster from India in 1988, and he has the eighth-highest peak FIDE rating of all time.[4] In 2022, he was the elected Deputy President of FIDE.[5][6] He has had an important role in popularizing chess in India.[7][8]

Anand defeated Alexei Shirov in a six-game match to win the 2000 FIDE World Chess Championship, a title he held until 2002. He became the undisputed world champion in 2007 and defended his title against Vladimir Kramnik in 2008, Veselin Topalov in 2010, and Boris Gelfand in 2012.[9] In 2013, he lost the title to challenger Magnus Carlsen, and he lost a rematch to Carlsen in 2014 after winning the 2014 Candidates Tournament.[10]

In April 2006, Anand became the fourth player in history to pass the 2800 Elo mark on the FIDE rating list, after Kramnik, Topalov, and Garry Kasparov.[11] He occupied the number-one position for 21 months, the sixth-longest period on record.

Known for his rapid playing speed as a child, Anand earned the sobriquet "Lightning Kid"[12][13] during his early career in the 1980s. He has since developed into a universal player, and many consider him the greatest rapid chess player of his generation.[14][15] He won the FIDE World Rapid Chess Championship in 2003 and 2017,[16] the World Blitz Chess Cup in 2000,[17] and numerous other top-level rapid and blitz events.

Anand was the first recipient of the Khel Ratna Award in 1991–92, India's highest sporting honour. In 2007, he was awarded India's second-highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan, making him the first sportsperson to receive the award.[18]

  1. ^ "'I start off playing for India. And that's it.Beyond that, the game just takes over'". Indian Express. 1 January 2004. Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  2. ^ "V. Anand". Chess games. Archived from the original on 27 December 2019. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  3. ^ "Viswanathan Anand returns to chess World Cup after 15 years, eyes Candidate spot". Hindustan Times. 2 September 2017. Archived from the original on 24 April 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  4. ^ "Anand's FIDE rating chart". Archived from the original on 3 January 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  5. ^ "Russian former deputy PM Dvorkovich re-elected chess federation president". Reuters. 7 August 2022. Archived from the original on 7 August 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  6. ^ "Anand elected Fide vice-president, Arkady wins second term". The Indian Express. 7 August 2022. Archived from the original on 7 August 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  7. ^ "Proud I could popularize chess in India: Viswanathan Anand". The Times of India. 11 December 2019. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  8. ^ Bristow (VOB96), Vanessa (15 May 2024). "Viswanathan Anand. The History And Legacy Of A True Game Changer". Chess.com. Retrieved 4 February 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ "Ананд сохраняет титул" [Anand retains title]. FIDE (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2 June 2012.
  10. ^ "Candidates' R13: Anand Draws, Clinches Rematch with Carlsen". Archived from the original on 11 January 2015. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  11. ^ "All time Top 100 Ranklist by Highest ELO Rating". chess-db.com. Archived from the original on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  12. ^ "Viswanathan Anand: The Lightning Kid". Hindustan Times. 31 May 2012. Archived from the original on 17 November 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  13. ^ "Lightning kid". 10 April 2008. Archived from the original on 29 December 2019. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  14. ^ "Outlook India: Anand world's best rapid chess player". Outlook India. Panaji, India. 21 August 2006. Archived from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  15. ^ "London Speaker Bureau: Viswanathan Anand's biography". London Speakers Bureau. London, England. 5 November 2012. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  16. ^ "Viswanathan Anand wins World Rapid Chess Championship; watch his crowning moment". The Indian Express. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 29 December 2017. Archived from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  17. ^ "Vishy Anand Strikes At Warsaw: Rapid King Also Blitz King". Archived from the original on 24 April 2001.
  18. ^ "Anand ambassador of WWF India". ChessBase India. 21 April 2020. Archived from the original on 17 November 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
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