Viswanathan Anand

Viswanathan Anand

Viswanathan Anand is one of the greatest sporting icons of our time. He is the first Asian to win the World chess championship and single-handedly transformed India into a major power in the mind sport. A five-time World champion, he is still a force to reckon with at the highest level. Two years ago, he won the World rapid chess championship at the age of 48. He is a pure genius. He is remarkably articulate, polite to a fault and the nicest World champion – in any sport – you could ever hope to meet. He was, in fact, thought to be too nice to finish first, until he emerged as the World champion in 2000.