Agencies/New Delhi
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| Viswanathan Anand poses with his trophy during the award ceremony of the FIDE Chess World Championship in Moscow yesterday |
India yesterday celebrated Viswanathan Anand’s world title chess triumph, with Bollywood stars, the prime minister and newspaper front pages lining up to hail his success.
Anand, 42, defeated Israeli challenger Boris Gelfand in a quick-fire shootout in Moscow on Wednesday after their 12-game epic was drawn, giving the Indian a fifth world title and his fourth in a row.
“The country should come out on the streets and celebrate,” Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan told reporters.
“It is bigger than any World Cup victory,” he added in a reference to India’s cricket World Cup win last year that triggered massive nationwide celebrations.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Anand’s retention of the world title was a “monumental achievement,” while ruling Congress Party chief Sonia Gandhi described it as “stupendous.”
Chess is not a central part of Indian culture, but newspapers devoted extensive coverage to Anand’s win with the Times of India saying he had disproved critics who had “ridiculed him and said he had lost his flair.”
The Mail Today cleared its front page to celebrate the news, using a photograph of Anand hunched over the board on his way to victory.
Indian Chess Federation president J Prabhakar called for the country’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, to be conferred on Anand.
Sports Minister Ajay Maken too said Anand was a deserving candidate for the honour but it was for the prime minister to decide on whom to accord India’s highest civilian award.
“He has brought laurels to the country and I thank him for that,” said. “He is the best sportsperson the country has,” Maken said.
“It is without doubt a huge achievement. But as far as the award is concerned, whether it is an active or a former sportsperson, the prime minister will take the final call.”
Maken played down the low-key celebration of Anand’s triumph when asked about the extravagant show put up for Indian Premier League champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Kolkata.
“No major celebration happened when Chennai Super Kings won the IPL earlier. I don’t know the reason for KKR’s huge celebrations, may be this is how they like to express themselves.”
“We have a set rule for rewarding athletes based on their achievement and we have done that in the case of Anand,” said Maken referring to Rs1mn cash award announced for the Grandmaster.
In Chennai, Anand’s hometown, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa showered praise on the king of chess.
In a message to Anand, Jayalalithaa said: “I am glad to learn that you have won the World Chess Title for the fifth time and the fourth time consecutively.
“You have won this much-deserved title after intense nerve racking rapid tie-breaker games and proved your prowess in rapid and blitz chess.
“You have brought laurels both to Tamil Nadu and India. I congratulate you on this magnificent victory. May you continue to retain this title for many more years,” she added.