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 India's
first ever Grand Master, Vishwanathan Anand, single
handedly brought in a Chess revolution in the country.
National sub junior champion in 1983 at the age of 12, he
went on to win the World Junior title four years later.
This grandmaster has shattered the myth that genius begets
eccentricity. His 'boy-next-door' looks and demeanour has
inspired countless young people to take to what has always
been called a cerebral game.
 On
him rests the chance of having a non-Russian world chess
champion since American Bobby Fischer, who won the title in
1972. Among the several awards he has received are the
Arjuna Award for Outstanding Indian Sportsman (1985), the
Padmashri (1987), the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award (first
ever recipient, 1991-92) and the Chess 'Oscar' Best Chess
Player (1997 and 1998). He was also awarded the British
Chess Federation Book of the Year Award (1998), for his
book 'My Best Games of Chess.'
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