Anand reveals his multifaceted self

By Rakesh Rao

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 15. Viswanthan Anand is one such rare Indian sportsman who feels strongly on subjects other than his specialised field.

Quiz him on varying topics like the role played by education in the making of a champion, taking sports as a career, the growing number of money-minded sportspersons in the country, comparisons between two champions of the different eras, or about himself - his much-talked about humility and him being treated like an icon. At the end of it, it is easy to understand, why Anand makes such a great champion while remaining a consistent and delightful source of joy.

Anand, briefly in the Capital with wife Aruna, after a well-spent holiday in the back-waters of Kerala, spoke to The Hindu at length on several subjects other than those meant only for the die-hard chess enthusiasts.

The excerpts:

On the state of Indian chess: Things are always getting better and there is always room for the improvement. I saw the reaction to Hari Krishna and Humpy when they won. The reaction has been huge. With recognition, awards, cash prizes flowing, it is certainly growing. But one can always say that it can be better. On the positive side, things have surely come a long way.

It has grown, participation has grown, may be 5,000 per cent, I don't know. We are getting a lot more Grandmasters, IMs. In that sense, the sport is really growing. Honestly, the media attention is fantastic. Media has really taken to chess and is instrumental in promoting it. Very optimistic times are ahead but we should remember that the other countries are growing, too. We still have a long way to go.

On what needs to be done: Really, I would like to see a lot of tournaments in India. We are still missing that. Earlier, you could say that foreign exchange was, may be, a reason, but now it is a bit easy. It is really a pity that we have not organised many tournaments. Now you can say that it is a full-fledged spectator sport. A sport which is being followed. Not something that is happening else where. We should be able to say that it's happening here. We should have events like the Grand Prix.

On ways of promoting chess: We need some promoters, event managers, to make it financially viable, people who can put this whole thing together. Today, internet helps a lot. I know that a lot of Indians follow the game on the internet. There is huge interest. I think it'll be nice to have knock-out matches, 25- minute games, something that's really exciting and have commentary, headphones etc. That's something which should be brought to India.

On the role of Federation: I think a Federation is always a felicitator. That's the case in many countries. Tournaments don't happen because of the Federation. Federation, more or less, is like a central organisation that can help in giving guidance. In Holland, the Federation does not organise any of the big tournaments. All big tournaments have happened because they have this organising committee of chess lovers. They find the sponsors and put together the events. I think it is very crucial for those who put together sporting events (in India) and it will be nice if some of them get into chess and move the whole thing forward.

On comparisons being made in sports (Fischer with Kasparov; Bradman with Tendulkar etc.): Sports fans, who love the game, want to keep discussing about the game, they have their topics. Comparing Fischer with say (Paul) Murphy, it makes no practical sense because you cannot make them play a match against each other. One was in the 19th century, the other in the 20th. Well, people ought to keep on talking. Essentially, it is harmless and makes them happy. I really think that every point of view is correct because you never prove anything wrong here. You can never make them play and check these things. But you do have some measures, like statistics and things like that, You can compare to a certain degree. If people have fun, I don't mind.

Importance of education for a sportsperson: Well, the more well- rounded life you have, it is healthier for you. The more things you have interest in, the more fun it is to go through life. Even if you are a great sportsman and that's the only thing that interests you, then life is boring. Life is more interesting when you have a variety of interests.

Now a days, if you are a professional sportsman, the physics and chemistry you learnt in school might not help. Today, I am interested in certain topics and I do remember studying them in school. I think, in general, school and college are healthy places to be in. They are not the only healthy places. Now a days, even if you don't have school education, you can travel around the world, meet interesting people. But I think it is important to be a well-rounded person.

On some budding champions ignoring their basic education: There is no magic answer (for becoming a champion). I think, in general, people should just keep in mind that sports is a risky kind of job. You make it, you make it big. You don't make it, you might regret. Certainly, I would not advise kids to give up school.

Taking sports as a career: Certainly. There has been a sea-change with the foreign television networks coming in. At least, people see that in every other country, this is the case. Again, a little journey back in time would help. If you look back, in 1982, see how many people lived professionally, in not just cricket but all sports, and if you look at the number today, you'll realise that there has been a massive improvement.

On money-minded sportspersons: I think it is better not to ignore it. It is certainly a factor. If you don't make enough money to live, you are not going to give your 100 per cent to your sport. Again, everything in healthy proportions is okay. Certainly, you should do some career- planning. You should think about the money in your sport, your chances of making a good living. You do this with any other job, then why not sports?

On the Indian sportspersons being docile: Perhaps, there is a bit of culture involved there. But beyond that, I don't know how important it is. If you see Paes and Bhupathi chest-bang each other after winning a set or so, you don't get the feeling that they are being docile. I guess, we should not look at these things too much. Just see the results. When the sporting results get better, you realise that ultimately it is your proficiency and determination. Even quiet and docile people can be determined. They just don't want to externalise it.

On sports in India: Sports in India, in general, is a work in progress. We have a long way to go but it is getting better. Certainly, the climate has improved. If someone, (whether in team or individual sport) is willing to put in a lot of effort, market himself well, his chances of succeeding is much better today than what it was 15 years ago. I think a lot of companies help these days. People are more interested in sport. People view it as entertainment. The whole thing has developed pretty well.

On his humility: To be honest, it is not a conscious decision (to be humble) or something. Well, in general, the parents try and impress upon you that you can have success, you can have failure but you have to look at the bigger picture. You cannot take yourself too seriously. My parents must have impressed it on me without even realising it themselves. It is just the way you are. In fact, you don't even realise it till someone says you are humble. I like being with friends and chatting with them all. It can be a burden if you consider yourself as a World Champion.

I don't think humility is the virtue per se. Everything is good in balance. I think there is nothing wrong in having a bit of an attitude, a bit of pride and a little arrogance. All are good in reasonable measure. As long as they are done in good taste, everything is okay. Like (Gary Kasparov), in his columns he may not appear humble but that does not mean he is bad. You know that he's got attitude, he is interesting to follow. It's nice to have different personalities. It makes the world that much more interesting. It really comes down to your upbringing. And also, different societies value different things. We, in India, value humility or putting things in perspective. In America, it is attitude and determination that are valued more. I think that also makes the world interesting.

On being treated like an icon: Well, when one of these kids come and says, ``Uncle...,'' it is bit scary. But most of the time, I don't think about it at all. But certainly, if you tell me, then I understand it's true. Yes, there are a few people who are inspired by me, brought to chess by me and so on.

But so far, it is just a pleasant effect. You get a momentary `kick' and then you don't think about it. I think the best thing is not to analyse it too much. It's a nice feeling, it give me a certain amount of pride. And then, I think about something else.

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