Viswanathan Anand remains India’s heart of chess 25 years after historic World Championship win

The atmosphere was festive at the Royal Opera House here on Tuesday night. It was the final of the third season of the Global Chess League (GCL).

And on the top board, veteran Viswanathan Anand clashed with D. Gukesh, the reigning World Championship winner.

His older opponent, by only 37 years, has won the World title five times, the first of which – India’s first World Chess Championship title — came on December 24, 25 years ago.

World champions, past and the future: Viswanathan Anand (left) playing chess with D. Gukesh (right), with the latter growing up to be the youngest world champion in 2024.
| Photo Credit:
M. KARUNAKARAN

That victory in Tehran is still one of India’s greatest-ever sporting moments. Quarter of a century later, Anand remains India’s most popular chess player.

One could see it here during the GCL. On the league’s opening day, when Lionel Messi was in Mumbai, this reporter met a young woman who had paid Rs. 1,300 to watch her sporting hero, Anand.

The legend from Chennai signed on her chessboard. Anand is not just the most loved of our top Grandmasters; he is the most accessible, too.

Trailblazer: Viswanathan Anand in action in the World Championship final in 2000. He went on to win four more Worlds titles, in 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012.
| Photo Credit:
AP

That he continues to play top-level chess, though only occasionally, matters. His presence draws more people to an event. And chess, with all the achievements India has had over the last few years, could do with more marketing.

The game in India wasn’t anywhere near this big when Anand won his — and India’s — first World title, after beating Akexei Shirov in that one-sided final in the Iranian capital.

Published on Dec 24, 2025