He was India’s ‘lightning kid’ right from his teen years, known for some of the fastest ever moves in rapid and blitz chess. Learning his moves from his mother right from the age of six, the five-time world champion, Viswanathan Anand (Vishy, as he is fondly known), is an extremely humble and hearty Tamilian who loves to celebrate all things Tamil. As someone who has been placing Madras (or Chennai today) on the global map for decades, in a recent tete-a-tete with DC at a book launch, the chess grandmaster shares his love for the city as Madras Week celebrations fill the air, and on the Indian contingent’s performance at Rio Olympics.
“It’s quite a relief that we got these two medals. Obviously, it would have been nicer to have won more, but on the other hand, we were actually more competitive in many disciplines this time. We had a lot of people missing out on the medals with very minor margins — and I think this points to possibly more success in the future,” Viswanathan shares about the recently-concluded Olympics.
As we spoke, he was swarmed by scores of Chennaiites who wanted his autograph; many who dearly enquired after his well-being — such is the love Madras has always had for the man. What does the city mean to him, we ask?
“Chennai is my home. It is unlike any other city — it’s the place where I’m the most comfortable. And Madras Week makes it all the more vibrant. This is when everyone starts covering the city with interesting perspectives. The nice thing about these anniversaries is how all the newspapers have really old black-and-white photographs from across the city. It’s nice to look at the city’s past,” says the sportsperson, who is cherishing his time being a father.
When we ask how it is for him as a sportsperson to see both the medals belong to Indian women, he responds on a light-hearted note, with this witty remark — “Don’t rub it in!” and adds, “I think it’s wonderful that the medals have been won by women. It’s a really great thing. In general, I think we have to be grateful to the women in India who take up sports, because it’s even harder for them (compared to men). We say that the families in India are often reluctant to support their children to take up sport as a profession — this effect is magnified when it comes to women. I really hope that these medals will be a boost for the country.”
The former world champion also reiterates that chess should be a part of the Olympic Games — “I would love to see chess find a place in the (Olympic) games. I know that the World Chess Federation is in the process of handling it, but I don’t know when it will materialise.”
This is the first time in about a decade that Viswanathan is not taking part in the championships, but he has no regrets. “I spend a lot of time with my son these days. It’s a wonderful feeling being a father, although he’s five years old now and the feeling is not very new. I’ve also been reading lots of books — something that someone recommends to me, or some books that my wife picks up. It’s a random selection of titles, but the books are mostly about history and geography.
Surprisingly, I was never fond of these subjects when I was in school, but now I find myself interested in them!” he admits with a smirk, before he was completely taken over by selfie-hungry Chennaiites, which he gracefully agreed to — with his trademark smile.
