Five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand has long been a source of inspiration for chess players in India. However, his contributions go beyond personal achievements. Indian Grandmaster and current world champion D Gukesh recently highlighted Anand’s crucial role in fostering young chess talent in India.
Speaking at the India Today Conclave, Gukesh explained how Anand’s initiative, the WestBridge Anand Chess Academy (WACA), has played a vital role in India’s emergence as a global chess powerhouse. The academy, launched in collaboration with WestBridge Capital during the COVID-19 pandemic, aimed to mentor and train young prodigies during a time when competitive tournaments were halted.
WestBridge Anand Chess Academy: A Game-Changer
The WestBridge Anand Chess Academy began operations in January 2021 with an initial batch of five promising players:
- D Gukesh
- R Praggnanandhaa
- Nihal Sarin
- R Vaishali
- Raunak Sadhwani
This initiative proved to be a turning point for Indian chess. In December 2024, Gukesh made history by defeating Chinese Grandmaster Ding Liren to claim the World Chess Championship title. Meanwhile, Praggnanandhaa won the prestigious Tata Steel Masters 2025, often referred to as the ‘Wimbledon of Chess,’ in February 2025. Additionally, Vaishali became only the third Indian woman to achieve the title of Grandmaster.
India’s chess dominance was further solidified in 2024, when both the men’s and women’s teams clinched gold medals at the Chess Olympiad—an unprecedented achievement in the country's history.
Gukesh on Anand’s Influence: ‘A Great Moment for Us’
Reflecting on Anand’s impact, Gukesh expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity to be mentored by the chess legend.
"I think a lot of factors play a role here. I think one of the biggest contributions, without a doubt, is what Vishy (Viswanathan Anand) sir has been doing, not only with his achievements, not only being an inspiration, but around 2020 December, he partnered with WestBridge to launch WestBridge Anand Academy. I am a part, I’m a student in the academy and Vishy Sir’s vision was to select the top talented youngsters at that time in the lockdown because there were no tournaments happening," Gukesh said.
He further elaborated on how the academy helped young players stay focused and improve their skills even when the pandemic disrupted the chess calendar.
"It was all online and a lot of people were not working as hard. So it was a great moment for us to actually take that advantage. It was super exciting for me, and I’m sure a lot of youngsters, because getting in touch with Vishy sir, to discuss chess with him regularly, was so motivating that the lockdown, the pandemic, didn’t feel like a waste of time. We were actually working super hard," he added.
Gukesh’s Rise in World Rankings
Gukesh has been on an incredible trajectory, recently achieving a career-best world ranking of No. 3. His Elo rating stands at 2787, and he is on track to cross the 2800 mark, a milestone achieved by only two other Indians—Anand and Pentala Harikrishna.