[Exclusive] The youngsters have raised the bar: Vishy Anand on India getting it's 100th chess grandmaster, rise of the game and what needs to improve

It’s been 38 years since Viswanathan Anand became India’s first-ever Grandmaster (GM) and later went on to become its first World Chess Champion. On Sunday, Madhya Pradesh’s Anuj Shrivatri won the 7th ASEAN Plus Individual Open Chess Championship in the Philippines and became India’s 100th GM. Anand, who is also the interim President of the International Chess Federation, feels proud of the growth that Indian chess has shown.

“100 is a wonderful number and is a moment for all of us to pause and celebrate the pride we feel as it signifies the growth Indian chess has achieved, which is one of the things that makes me proudest. . For it to come during the festive season makes it all the more lovely, giving us another reason to celebrate,” shares Anand, adding, “ We have a current World Chess Champion in D Gukesh. We have Vaishali Rameshbabu, who is soon set to challenge for the Women’s World Chess Championship title and could very well become a champion. We have multiple Olympiad titles. We continue to shine, which makes me happy.”

With Gen Z taking over the baton, Anand, who became World Champion in 2000, shared what has changed from when he first took up chess all those years ago to today, “The bar has been raised very high. youngsters now don’t just want to compete; they want to go all the way to the top—they want to be World Champion and that is what stands out in today’s era.”

However, despite all the progress, he says there is always room for continuous improvement: “It’s wonderful that we’ve reached this stage, but we have to keep building on it and making chess more popular. Chess remains a game where you need to explain the nuances a lot to the audience. So, we must continue working on that. As you build the sport, you build the fan base and engagement, which also makes it far more attractive for sponsors.”

When asked what advice he offers to young players who approach him, he noted: “In chess, not all answers are available right away. You just keep playing, and eventually, the path becomes clear. Don’t forget that the pieces are right there on the board. It’s fine to talk about your mindset and the mental struggle you’re undergoing, stay in the resent and pay attention to the board—there’s usually plenty of action right in front of you.”