Viswanathan Anand (born December 11, 1969) is an Indian chess Grandmaster and former World Chess Champion. He became India’s first Grandmaster in 1988 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest chess players of all time. Known for his rapid play and versatile style, he earned the nickname “Lightning Kid” early in his career.

Anand held the FIDE World Chess Championship from 2000 to 2002. He became the undisputed World Chess Champion in 2007 and defended his title against Vladimir Kramnik in 2008, Veselin Topalov in 2010, and Boris Gelfand in 2012. He lost the title to Magnus Carlsen in 2013.

His career spans multiple generations of chess players, and he has remained at the top level for over three decades, adapting his style to face different challenges. Anand’s contributions to opening theory and his ability to play effectively in all phases of the game make him a truly exceptional and enduring figure in chess.