Viswanathan Anand launches academy, will personally monitor progress of young chess prodigies

NEW DELHI: Chess maestro Viswanathan Anand on Monday announced that he is launching an academy for budding chess stars, and he will personally monitor the progress of young chess stars in the country.

Taking to Twitter, Anand wrote: "I am very excited to announce the launch of WestBridge Anand Chess Academy (WACA). Very happy to partner with WestBridge Capital in realising a long dream of mine to nurture talent in India."

Anand also revealed that there will be a fellowship program that will aim to take the junior chess stars to the top ranks.

"I will personally be monitoring their progress both as a person and as a chess player. This will be a fellowship program that will aim to take our most talented junior chess prodigies to the top ranks," said Anand in another tweet.

I am very excited to announce the launch of WestBridge Anand Chess Academy (WACA). Very happy to partner with WestBridge Capital in realising a long dream of mine to nurture talent in India. (1/2)#WestBridgeCapital #ChessPlayers #ChessGame

— Viswanathan Anand (@vishy64theking) December 14, 2020

Anand is a five-time world chess champion. He also went on to become the undisputed world champion in 2007, and he successfully defended his title against Vladimir Kramnik in 2008, Veselin Topalov in 2010, and Boris Gelfand in 2012.

In 2013, he lost the title to challenger Magnus Carlsen, and then he lost a rematch to Carlsen in 2014 after winning the 2014 Candidates Tournament.

The 51-year-old was the first recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 1991-92. In 2007, he was then awarded India's second-highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan, making him the first sportsperson to receive the award.