VISHWANATHAN ANAND

India's first ever Grand Master, Vishwanathan Anand, single handedly brought in a Chess revolution in the country. National sub junior champion in 1983 at the age of 12, he went on to win the World Junior title four years later.

This grandmaster has shattered the myth that genius begets eccentricity. His 'boy-next-door' looks and demeanour has inspired countless young people to take to what has always been called a cerebral game.

On him rests the chance of having a non-Russian world chess champion since American Bobby Fischer, who won the title in 1972. Among the several awards he has received are the Arjuna Award for Outstanding Indian Sportsman (1985), the Padmashri (1987), the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award (first ever recipient, 1991-92) and the Chess 'Oscar' Best Chess Player (1997 and 1998). He was also awarded the British Chess Federation Book of the Year Award (1998), for his book 'My Best Games of Chess.'

Born on 21st December 1959, in Chennai, Kris Srikkanth exploded on the international cricket scene when he was 21. With his high-octane batting style, he was one of the heroes of the 1983 World Cup and also starred in the 1987 and 1992 tournaments.

He was a swashbuckling opening batsman, who ripped through the toughest bowling attacks with his fearless pulling, hooking and driving. Spotted for his keen eye and quick reflexes, he was a great crowd puller. He scored his 4,092 runs in 146 ODI (One-Day International) matches, at an average of 29.02. In test matches he scored 2,062 runs from 72 innings (with an average of 29.88). His highest score in test matches and ODIs was 123.

By the mid '80s, he had learnt to discipline his attacking methods, and stayed on as a regular opening batsman till 1989. That very year, he was made captain for the Pakistan tour, in which he succeeded in drawing all four test matches. However his batting failed to click on the tour.

Srikkanth was a natural ODI player, for, at the time of his retirement, he had scored more runs and centuries than any other Indian player, and that too in a very short period of time. Truly one of India's cricketing greats.

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