CHENNAI: Sushila Viswanathan, mother of five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand, passed away on Tuesday night at her residence in Chennai. She was 79.
Sushila is survived by husband K Viswanathan, daughter Anuradha and sons Shivakumar and Anand. The chess legend is the youngest of her three children.
While Anand’s father was General Manager of Southern Railways, it was Sushila who initiated Anand into the game of 64 squares. She trained him in his formative years and encouraged the young talent who went on to become ‘lightening kid’. She helped him take chess seriously and used to accompany her son to coaching stints. Sushila was a pillar of support for Anand.
Whenever Anand won a major tournament, the first person he would call was his mother. Sushila hailed from a family of lawyers who played chess. Her contribution towards the success of Anand was significant.
Sushila saw Anand play against Magnus Carlsen in the World Championship match in Chennai in 2013. Although Anand lost his world crown, she took pride in the fact her son had five titles. “We recognised his talent at the right time,” Sushila had said after Anand won his first world title in Tehran in 2000. “Thrilled. But Anand’s triumph did not come as a surprise for us.”
Sushila’s last rites will be held at 10am on Thursday at Besant Nagar crematorium.