Viswanathan Anand, (date of birth 11-12-1969) popularly known
as "Vishy, the Tiger from Madras" learnt chess at the
tender age of six from his mother. His assets, his lightning speed
of play & intuition saw him through as the Youngest National
Champion at the age of 16.In 1987 he became the First Asian to win
the World Junior Championship. In that year he earned the coveted
Grandmaster title. He carved a special place on the chessboard by
winning the strongest tournament at that time, The "Reggio
Emilia" in Italy in 1991 ahead of Kasparov & Karpov.
The pinnacle of his career was achieved on 24th December 2000 when
Anand became the 15th World Chess Champion in Teheran. Anand won
the championship by remaining unbeaten. By winning the title, Anand
becomes the First Asian to win the title ending many years of Soviet
Domination of the Ancient Indian game.
He has the distinction of winning one of the Strongest knock out
tournament in recent chess history in Groningen in December 1997.
He won the Linares Super Torneo in 1998, one of the strongest tournaments
of all times.
In May 2002 Anand won the "Eurotel World Chess trophy", in Prague
where 32 of the strongest chess players in the world participated.
His other great victories include the Melody Amber tournament (1994 & 1997),
the Credit Suisse Masters (1997), Dos Hermanas (1997), Wijk Aan Zee (1998),
Torneo de Madrid (1998), Dortmund (1996 and 2000), Tilburg (1998) and Merida
(2001).
Anand enjoys playing different varieties of chess. He especially enjoys the
advanced chess, wherein computers are at hand for calculations and database
searches. Anand has won three editions of the Leon Advanced Chess tournament
in Spain (1999,2000 and 2001).
The year 2002 has been a year of hat tricks for the Indian chess genius. Anand
won the World's Strongest rapid Chess Event in Germany, three times in a row.
In 2000 at Frankfurt, 2001 in Mainz against Kramnik and 2002 against Ruslan
Ponomariev, defeating both World Champions in consecutive years.(He won the
same event in 1997 and 1998)
At The Corsica Masters in Bastia he performed the same feat, defeating Karpov
in 2002 in the finals to complete consecutive wins in 2000, 2001 and 2002.
Anand is the winner of the First and Second FIDE World Cup held in Shenyang
(2000) and Hyderabad (2002).
The World Cups are a series of prestigious knock out tournaments.
Anand has been awarded many prestigious titles in India like the Arjuna Award,
the prestigious Padmashri (the youngest recipient of the title), the first recipient
of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, the Soviet Land Nehru award, the BPL Achievers
of the World, Sportstar, Sportsworld "Sportsman of the year 1995"
Award, One of the highest awards, the Padma Bhushan, the Sportstar,"Sportsman
of the Millennium" award and the Birla "Living Legends Award".
Anand received the "Jameo de Oro", One of Spain's highest civilian
award given to a foreigner
He was conferred the prestigious International "Chess Oscars for 1997"
and the " Chess Oscars for 1998" by chess journalists from among 55
countries in the world .The award is given to the star performer of each year.
The only Asian and non-Russian apart from Bobby Fischer to receive the award.
Anand, known as the "One man Indian Chess revolution," keenly promotes
the game, through innovative methods in the country, where the game first originated.
It is his ambition to be able to take chess to the grass roots level. In conjunction
with NIIT, his global sponsor a virtual academy to make chess available to every
nook and corner of the country is on the anvil. Anand regularly collaborates
with young Indian chess players to help make existing talent reach higher.
His first book "My best games of Chess" has been released in English
and German.
Anand shares his time between India and Spain. Being Fluent in Spanish, the
little town of Collado Mediano near Madrid has adopted him as their "Hijo
Predelicto"or famous son.
Anand holds a degree in commerce and a Doctorate for Chess. He loves to take
long walks, and has an interest in a wide variety of topics like astronomy,
economics and current affairs. His other hobbies include listening to music
and learning German.
|