The crowning of Vishwanathan Anand as the FIDE world chess champion opens up a simple question. Is the wizard, who has been in the top-three for the last 15 years, India’s greatest ever sportsman?
Greater than cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar or Kapil Dev? Greater than the billiards champs like Michael Fereira and Pankaj Advani? Greater than the tennis stars like Leander Paes and Ramanathan Krishnan? Greater than athletes like P.T. Usha? Greater than hockey stars like Dhyan Chand?
Of course, Anand plays an individual sport. Of course, chess is a mind game. But has any sportsperson—and we could include non-sportspersons too to enlarge the debate—has any Indian performed so consistently well on the world stage as Anand and come up trumps? Has any one person done so much to popularise the sport in the country of its birth and make it such a potent global player? And has any superstar been so civil and self-effacing about his mindblowing feats?
In order to honor or admire anybody we do not have to do it by viewing him or her through the prism of somebody else. Anand is great in his own terms just as Michael Fereirra or Tendulkar are great on their own. His greatness or anyone’s greatness should not be used to show others in a bad light.
Can’t compare really.
Anand is definitely the best Chess player India has ever seen and possibly one of the best in his generation. Without a doubt, a great ambassador for the game in India, like his peers in other sports, Tendulkar, Paes, Sania Mirza, Gopichand, to name a few.
The “greatest”…. I am not so sure. You must be able to make some meaningful comparison before you give that title, and I don’t that is possible when you are comparing sports as diverse as tennis, cricket and chess.
Since Anand has archived which no one else from India and very few in the rest of the world other than Russia has ever achieved, He should be considered as the undisputed numero uno.
I don’t remember him doing any ads – I think if thats true that would be one of the things that makes him the greatest – that he dosen’t shamelessly lie to all the children of the country that some drink is the secret of his energy.
Dhara Singh and Akshay Kumar are the greatest.
Sanjay M:
NIIT is Anand’s sponsor and he has appeared in a couple of ads for them and maybe a couple of other.
I don’t understand why names like Leander Paes, Ramanathan Krishnan, PT Usha have been mentioned. They have never been number one, not even once either in some kind of rating system or in winning a world class event. Rating wise Anand has been number one and has won the World Championship.
It is difficult to compare Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev or Dhyan Chand who have played team sports with Anand. But if you use one criteria, which is how many countries play the sports, then you get an answer. A dozen countries play Cricket. Not sure about Hockey – perhaps two dozen? Chess is played in more than hundred countries. The fact that few counties play a sport/game means that the level of achievement is considerably less as the competing field is so much narrower.
The same criteria can be used when comparing Michael Fereira and Pankaj Advani with Anand. Secondly the titles they have won is ‘amateur’ championship and not ‘professional’.
In all respects, Anand’s achievement is greater compared to all other sports persons of India.
Yeah in some ad Anand claimed his brain is sharp due to some kesha thaila, and that his son(?) ate some biscuit for the same reason. Nevertheless he didnt peddle junk food or do ads which have nothing to do with his persona.
Adding to the list of of admirable Indian sportsmen who have achieved something in their sport – our Pullela Gopichand and our very own Prakash Padukone. I remember reading how the former refused to sign a big contract (money-wise) with a soft drink MNC since he didnt believe that soda would do any good to any aspiring sportsperson. And this was after he had won the All England and was at the peak of his game. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pullela_Gopichand
It probably took a lot of guts and backbone to give up what could be your biggest paycheck just to send out a message to younger players to do the right thing.
Both of these players were role models in their behaviour on and off the court too.
chess is NOT a sport……
anand is undoubtedly india’s no 1 sportsperson ever..
anand has won world champ twice, world cup twice, world rapid four times, 4 oscar awards, and 1000s of international awards and titles…
chess is actively played around 150 nations!
anand has revolutionised chess in india.. now, chess is the only sports india can control and dominate the whole world!
as a human being also, anand is gr8.. he never get into any controversies and known for his humble and down to earth nature..
Anand is the greatest sportsman India has ever produced.And he is also a very nice man to interact with.He is so simple and is responsible for many young children taking up the game.
I am a social anthropologist from South Africa. Can someone please help me and let me know what “Kesha Thaila” is and what is it used for.
Thanks
Dr. R Govender
@Rajendran
“kesha Thaila” means hair oil..usually some ayurvedic herbal oil.
M c Mary kom is the greatest sportsperson. Being mother of two she has overcome all odds. She is world no.1 and 5 time world champion. No other other women in world has medal in all world championship but she has.. She’s the greatest..