Viswanathan Anand should be awarded Bharat Ratna: Grand Master Surya Shekhar Ganguly

Kolkata, Jan 2: Surya Shekhar Ganguly, one of the renowned Grand Masters in India, who once worked as second of the legendary Viswanathan Anand, seems elated after having watched Anand’s historic come back.

Anand wins World Rapid Chess Championship

Surya Shekhar was also a participant in the recently concluded World Rapid Chess championship in Riyadh, where Anand won the title defeating current world champion Magnus Carlsen after a span of 14 years.

2009 Asian champion and six-time Indian champion, Surya Shekhar has even defeated Anand’s present second, Mackshen Lieuk, along with former world champion Ruslan Ponomariov.

Ganguly was simply amazed to have watched Anand’s sparkling show in the tournament.

The Grand Master from Kolkata said, “He took part in15 games in Rapid Chess and in 21 games in Blitz category. In Rapid, you will get 15 minutes per game and in Blitz category, you will get little more than 3 minutes per game where you are supposed to play 21 games!

"Just imagine how tough it is to concentrate and implement strategies in such a short time. Anand lost only one game in the Blitz Chess against Carlsen and remained unbeaten in the Rapid Chess. It was unbelievable at the age of 48 years. We were having dinner when Anand was playing against Carlsen. We were watching the game on our cell phones. After winning the historic match he joined us for dinner and turned emotional.”

According to Surya Shekhar, this victory will be inscribed in the history of chess as a legend.

He added, “I have seen so many victories of Anand. But this victory will be as if Mahendra Singh Dhoni scores a century or a double century in 2025!”

Even at this age, Anand has ensured the tenth position in the world rankings and Surya Shekhar also raised another point by claiming,“Why Anand should not be bestowed with the Bharat Ratna? What more he has to do any more to get such award? The achievement he has made at this age is simply remarkable.”