✦ Celebrity stories, facts and career updates. Explore F4U now →

Home › Biography › Viswanathan Anand

Viswanathan Anand biographyFeatured Biography

Image source: StarsUnfolded

Celebrities

Viswanathan Anand Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 14, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth11 December 1969

Age55 Years

BirthplaceMayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, India

ProfessionChess Player

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseAruna

FamilySon - Anand Akhil (born 9 April 2011); parents Krishnamurthy Viswanathan (father, deceased) and Sushila (mother, deceased)

Net worth$15 million (as of 2023)

Viswanathan Anand Biography

Viswanathan 'Vishy' Anand is an Indian chess grandmaster and five-time World Chess Champion. Rising from a prodigious youth in Tamil Nadu to become India’s

Early life and background

Viswanathan Anand was born on 11 December 1969 in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, and grew up primarily in Chennai. He began learning chess at about six years old after watching his older siblings play and asking his mother to teach him the game. His family spent a period in Manila in the late 1970s and early 1980s while his father worked there, a chapter Anand later credited with helping him deepen his understanding of chess during his formative years.

Anand attended Don Bosco Matriculation Higher Secondary School and later Loyola College in Chennai, where he completed a Bachelor of Commerce. From a young age he demonstrated an unusual speed and aptitude for the game, often finishing games in far less time than his peers.

Career

Anand’s rise through the junior ranks was rapid. He won the National Sub‑Junior Chess Championship as a teenager and in 1985 became the youngest Indian at that time to be awarded the title of International Master after winning the Asian Junior Championship. The following year he won the World Junior Chess Championship, the first Indian to do so. In 1988 he became India’s first grandmaster, claiming the title at the Shakti Finance International tournament.

Over the next three decades Anand built a record of sustained success across classical, rapid and blitz formats. He collected tournament victories at events such as Hoogovens (Wijk aan Zee), Linares, Corus (Wijk aan Zee), Melody Amber, Mainz (Chess Classic rapid), the Corsica Masters, and many national and international opens and invitational events. He won the FIDE World Chess Championship in 2000, becoming the first Indian to claim a world title in chess, and he successfully defended or reclaimed the world title in 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012.

Anand achieved several historic milestones in his career. In April 2006 his rating crossed the 2800 Elo threshold, making him the fourth player to do so at that time. In April 2007 he reached the No. 1 position in the FIDE Elo ratings following the inclusion of his Linares result. He also won multiple Chess Oscar awards and was recognized repeatedly for his achievements with major national honours.

Public profile

Anand has received many of India’s top civilian and sporting honors. Early in his career he was awarded the Arjuna Award and Padma Shri, and in later years he received the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan. He is a multiple recipient of the Chess Oscar, and has been recognized with awards both within India and abroad, including honors tied to his World Championship victories.

Known by nicknames such as Vishy, Tiger of Madras and the Lightning Kid, Anand is admired for his versatility across time controls and formats. He combines a calm public demeanor with a deep focus on preparation and study. Anand’s personal interests include reading, swimming and listening to music. He has mentioned that visiting temples and daily prayers help him attain a focused state of mind for chess.

Personal life

Anand married Aruna in 1996. The couple has a son, Anand Akhil, born in April 2011. His parents were Krishnamurthy Viswanathan, a retired railway general manager, and Sushila; both have passed away. He has an elder brother and sister, who have pursued professional careers outside chess.

Anand’s listed personal details include a height of about 1.75 m, black eyes and black hair. He identifies as Hindu and follows a non-vegetarian diet. He has been associated with Chennai as his hometown and long-term base.

Latest updates

In later stages of his career Anand continued to compete at top level events, including the 2012 World Chess Championship in Moscow where he played a notably short and decisive game in one of the match’s encounters. He has also taken on roles beyond playing, serving in chess administration and contributing to the game’s development.

Across a career that spans junior triumphs, historic national firsts and multiple world titles, Viswanathan Anand remains one of the most influential figures in modern chess, credited with opening the door for generations of players from India and beyond.
◈

Recent Work

World Chess Championship

Competed in the 2012 World Chess Championship in Moscow; won a very short decisive game in that match.

2012
FIDE World Chess Championship

Won the FIDE World Chess Championship in 2000, becoming the first Indian world champion; later won the reunified world championship in 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012.

2000-2012
✦

Career Highlights

  1. First Indian to win the World Junior Chess Championship (1987)
  2. India’s first Grandmaster (1988)
  3. FIDE World Chess Champion (2000) and reunified World Champion (2007, 2008, 2010, 2012)
  4. Crossed 2800 Elo rating in April 2006
  5. Reached No. 1 in FIDE ratings in April 2007
  6. Multiple Chess Oscar recipient
₹

Net Worth

$15 million (as of 2023)

Figures are editorial estimates based on publicly available reporting and may change as new information emerges.

?

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Viswanathan Anand born?

11 December 1969

What is Viswanathan Anand known for?

Chess Player

What is Viswanathan Anand’s marital status?

Married

Who is Viswanathan Anand married to?

Aruna

What is Viswanathan Anand’s net worth?

$15 million (as of 2023)