Viswanathan "Vishy" Anand is an Indian chess Grandmaster and former World Chess Champion. Described by grandmaster and chess commentator Lubomir Kavalek as one of the most versatile world champions ever, Anand has won the World Chess Championship five times, and was the undisputed World Champion from 2007 to 2013. Anand was the World Blitz Chess champion in 2000. Anand was the FIDE World Rapid Chess Champion in 2003, and is widely considered the strongest rapid player of his generation. He is one of the two world champions who won the Classical, Rapid and Blitz world championships. Anand has won the Chess Oscar six times. Anand is the only world champion who won the world championship playing in all different formats. Anand became India's first grandmaster in 1988. He was also the first recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 1991?92, India's highest sporting honour. In 2007, he was awarded India's second highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan, making him the first sportsperson to receive the award in Indian history. He held the FIDE World Chess Championship from 2000 to 2002, at a time when the world title was split. 

December 11th, 1969 in Chennai (Age 55)