Viswanathan Anand

One of the best chess players and an inspiration to Indians. The chess champion was born on December 11th, 1969, to a housewife and a retired South-Indian railway manager. His family continues to reside in Mayiladuthurai, Tamilnadu, India, where he was born. When he was six years old, he became more interested in chess.

Anand may have been guided by his parents and brothers. In 1991, at the age of 18, the Indian chess player won his first tournament and became India’s first-ever chess gold medallist. As a result, he was able to start his professional career. His name has now been added to the list of the most successful chess players. Apart from chess, Anand is currently involved in the development of a number of businesses. Furthermore, by asking young brains to play chess with him, the chess player encourages and trains the future generation.

What is the Net Worth of Viswanathan Anand?

Anand’s smart mind makes the most of his money as a chess player. For winning tournaments, he usually earns a large quantity of money as an award. To give you an idea, he earned $1.5 million for defeating Boris Gelfand in the world championship match.

He also won $400k from the government for winning the global chess championships. Similarly, he has won monetary prizes and honors ranging from $2k to $14k on multiple occasions.

Anand is currently employed by TVH, a real estate development firm, as a brand ambassador. As a result, this agreement was inked in 2012. He also works as a brand ambassador for NIIT, an IT company. AMD, Vidyasagar, and Parle-G Milk Shakti are also recommended by Anand. As a result of all of these accolades and partnerships, the champion’s net worth is projected to be $3 million.

House and Cars:

Anand with his wife (Source: playersbio.com)

Viswanathan Anand has a home in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, India, where he was born. He lives with his mother, wife, and son in that town. Similarly, the expensive décor and furniture complement the modern, big house with tiles and a hardwood interior.

Near the table where he plays matches and trains the young ones, all of his trophies are on display. As a precaution against COVID-19, the Anand family embarked on a complete quarantine a few months ago. He does, however, spend some of his days in Spain due to regular competitions and international activities.

Unfortunately, there isn’t any other information regarding his home. However, according to 2019 sources, he has a BMW and a Range Rover.

Viswanathan Anand: Lifestyle

Viswanathan Anand is the Indian Chess Player (Source: playersbio.com)

The tiger of Madras, like everyone else, enjoys spending his free time and keeping himself occupied with his interests. First and foremost, he enjoys swimming, music, and reading. He enjoys attending family get-togethers and other family events on occasion.

Anand also welcomes the young minds to his residence on other days, where he guides them with chess or plays a game with them.

The political and psychological difficulties that surround society, on the other hand, are two topics he absolutely avoids. You’ll discover information about his career, ranks, and more in this section. Anand once revealed in an interview that he and his wife take at least three holidays per year, two short vacations and one longer vacation.

Similarly, the couple enjoys going on adventures, such as their safaris in Kenya and South Africa, as well as appreciating Mexican cuisine and culture.

Charity:

During the global epidemic of 2020, the grandmaster competed in an online chess tournament with others to collect funds for those in need.

Despite the fact that money was raised for charity, the event did not go as planned since one of the competitors, Nikhil Kamath, an entrepreneur, was caught cheating.

Anand has also been participating in other charity events. Vishy had previously taken part in an online event called Chess for Charity.

In addition, the money raised during his match with Yuzvendra Chahal was used to help the community of waste-pickers. New Seemapuri, Jahangirpuri, and other Delhi neighborhoods were targeted. Comedians and chess players such as Vidith Gujrathi, Tanmay Bhat, Biswa K Rath, and others are also present.

Finally, on June 13, 2021, he fought Amir Khan, a well-known personality. Similarly, the funds earned from this event were used to assist those in India who were infected with COVID-19 in the second wave.

Movies and Book Publications:

Since his first appearance in the 2008 TV show “Menschen der Woche,” Anand has been a part-time actor. He also starred alongside Magnus Carlsen in the 2016 documentary ‘Magnus.’ Vishy has also appeared in documentaries such as “Album 61” and “Closing Gamit: 1978 Korchnoi vs. Karpov and the Kremlin.”

The gifted grandmaster is also noted for his writing abilities. To be clear, he has penned some of the best books on his games and lectures.

“Mind Master: Winning Lessons from a Champion’s Life” and “Vishy Anand: My Best Games of Chess,” for example, are two of the publications.

The book is based on his chess playing expertise. In this book, Vishy looks back on a career of games, opponents, and scenarios faced and extracts significant skills from its depths that will help every reader face life’s obstacles.

In addition, in “Vishy Anand: My Finest Chess Games,” Anand revealed the tools and methods that he used to win his best games. In addition, he provides thorough commentary on 57 of his best games.

Finally, he adds to the book “Bobby Fischer Comes Home: A Saga of Friendship and Lost Illusions,” which is titled “Bobby Fischer Comes Home: A Saga of Friendship and Lost Illusions.”

Career:

Anand, known as “The Tiger of Madras” for his unequaled chess talents, has served as an inspiration to others. His adventure began in 1984, when he won a match during the Asian Junior Championship. In 1988, Anand became the first Indian grandmaster after achieving the title of grandmaster via hard effort and determination.

Similarly, during his early career in the 1980s, Anand earned the moniker “Lightning Kid” due to his lightning-quick playing speed. He’s grown into a global player since then, and many consider him to be the best fast chess player of his time. He won the FIDE World Quick Chess Championship in 2003 and 2017, as well as the World Blitz Cup in 2000 and a number of other top-level fast and blitz competitions.

He also began competing in other competitions such as the Chess Olympiad, Junior Championships, and national and international chess championships. Anand won the World Chess Championship five times and the World Rapid Chess Championship twice during his career.

Awards and Achievements:

The Indian Grandmaster is a receiver of many prestigious international and national awards.

Some of the awards are listed below.

  • 1985 – Arjuna Award
  • 1987 –  Padma Shri ( 4th highest Indian civilian award ), National Citizens Award & Soviet Land Nehru Award
  • 1991 – Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award 
  • 1995 – Sportstar Best Sportsperson of the Year
  • 1997 – Chess Oscar
  • 1998 – Book of the Year award by British Chess Federation for “My Best Games of Chess,” Chess Oscar, Sportstar Millennium Award (India’s Premier Sports Magazine)
  • 2000 – Padma Bhushan
  • 2003 – Chess Oscar
  • 2004 – Chess Oscar
  • 2007 – Padma Vibhusan, Chess Oscar
  • 2008 – Chess Oscar
  • 2011 – Global Strategist Award by NASSCOM

Hence, these were some of the awards and recognitions Viswanathan Anand has achieved to date. 

3 Facts About Viswanathan Anand:

  • Anand loves cricket; specifically speaking, he is a fan of Kohli.
  • Vishy also learned to play chess from his mother, Sushila Anand.
  • He is the first-ever sportsperson to receive the Padma Vibhushan.

Quotes

  • “If revenge motivates you, go for it! But the main thing is to set your game in order.”
  • “For me, each game is a new challenge, which has to be dealt with rationally and systematically. At that time, every other thought fades into oblivion.”
  • “Sometimes an opponent stops breathing, and you realize something drastic has happened and they are trying not to let on. Or they go quiet, or they get fidgety. After a while, you pick these things up and become more alert to them.”

Quick Facts

Full Name Viswanathan Anand
Nick Name Vishy Anand, Lightning kid, Tiger of Madras
Date Of Birth 11 December 1969
Birth Place Mayiladuthurai, India
Age 51 years old
Gender Male
Sexual Orientation Straight
Height 5’9” (1.75 m)
Weight 75 kg (165 lb)
Horoscope Sagittarius
Religion Hinduism
Nationality Indian
Ethnicity South-East Asian
Hair Color Black
Eye Color Black
Skin Color Dark
Tattoos N/A
Marital Status Married
Wife Aruna Anand
Kids One son, Ankil
Father’s Name Krishnamurthy Viswanathan
Mother’s Name Sushila Viswanathan
Siblings One sister, Anuradha, and one brother, Shiva Kumar
High School Don Bosco Matriculation High School
High School Records N/A
Name of College
  • Loyola College, Chennai
  • University of Hyderabad
College Records N/A
Profession Chess Player
Active from 1984–present
Position N/A
Current Team N/A
Former Team N/A
Rank 5th
Net Worth $3 million
Salary Up to $1.5 million (Prize money)
Endorsements TVH, NIIT, AMD, Vidyasagar, and Parle-G
Foundation N/A
Social Media Twitter, Facebook
Merch Mind Master(Book)Signed Photo
Last Update November, 2021