Vishwanathan Anand is a true legend in the world of chess. Also known as the “The Lightning Kid,” he became the first Indian to earn the title of International Grandmaster in 1988, and he’s been unstoppable since then.
In a recent viral video with ChesscomIndia, he’s seen flaunting his trophy cabinet and revealing “India’s most famous chess room” where a newly crowned Indian Grandmaster is invited to play a chess match with him.
ChesscomIndia and Vishwanathan Anand shared a video on their Instagram accounts showing his famous chess room in his house and when asked about the kind of conversations that happened there with young kids, he said, “Many of them are tongue-tied and so usually we get very quickly to ‘why don’t you show me your last game?’ then they open up a lot.” I mean if I were sitting with the king of chess, I’d be stammering too. We get it young ones, we do.
He is one of the most prominent chess players across the world and has inspired many. Fans and aspiring chess players commented on the video saying, “I want to make it there one day!” and, “This is the final boss room”.
In another video shared 2 days ago, Anand shared his World Junior Chess Championship trophy and shared, “That’s my world junior 87′ it’s difficult to tell you how many doors that opened for me and what historical moment it was”.
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Fans reacted, “What a legend! Powerhouse of an inspiration” and, “Now that’s called a legacy.. a proud and happy man.”
Anand is known for his exceptional speed and tactical prowess in chess, and his journey began at the age of six when he learned the game from his mother. By the age of 14, he had already won the Indian National Sub-Junior Championship and made it big into the chess world after winning the International Master title at the age of 15.
He also won three consecutive national championships afterwards and became the first ever Asian to win the FIDE World Junior Championship in 1987. This title, according to him, “opened many doors” as he went on to become one of the most respectable and celebrated chess legends.
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Anand is set to inspire one again as he delivers a speech at the MRSI Golden Key Awards on 20 February 2025. Regarding his speech, he said, “This is one of the many firsts for me personally. I am extremely thrilled to be a part of an event that is beyond Chess.”
Vishwanathan Anand’s Legacy: A Treasure Trove of Titles and Honours
- FIDE World Chess Champion: 2000
- World Chess Champion: 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012
- World Rapid Chess Champion: 2003, 2017
- World Blitz Cup Champion: 2000
- Chess Oscar (Best Player of the Year): 1997, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008
- Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award: 1991-92
- Padma Shri (India’s fourth-highest civilian award): 1988
- Sportstar Best Sportsperson: 1995
- Padma Bhushan (India’s third-highest civilian award): 2001
- Padma Vibhushan (India’s second-highest civilian award): 2008
- Indian of the Year: 2012Also Read: Meet Vincent Keymer: The 20-Year-Old Who Defeated World Number 1
