Viswanathan Anand an Indian chess Grandmaster and is the current World Chess Champion was born on December 11, 1969 in Mayiladuthurai, a town in Tamil Nadu.

Anand at the age of 37, he became the world number one for the first time.

Recently Viswanathan Anand drew the third game with Magnus Carlsen a 22 year old  Norwegian chess grandmaster.

Here are some 5 facts to know about him:

Viswanathan Anand has won the World Chess Championship five times (2000, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012), and has been the undisputed World Champion since 2007.

Viswanathan Anand rates the late American chess prodigy, grandmaster, and the eleventh World Chess Champion Bobby Fischer as the best of all time.

Anand was the FIDE World Rapid Chess Champion in 2003, and is widely considered the strongest rapid player of his generation.

Anand became India’s first grandmaster in 1988. He was also the first recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi 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, and is the first sportsperson to receive the award in Indian history. Anand has won the Chess Oscar six times (1997, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008).

Image courtesy:Wikipedia

source:http://www.indiancolleges.com / IndianColleges.com / Home> Articles / by Editorial Team / November 13th, 2013