My plans were changing very fast. I went straight from the National team championship to Ahmedabad to participate in the National B, though I was supposed to go back to Chennai. That was magical.
We got into a train to Ahmedabad and all the participants stayed in a huge complex together. I still remember I used to go out with my mother to some nearby place for lunch every afternoon. When I liked the thali in one place, I insisted on going there all the time. It was the mango season, and every day I used to have lots of mangoes there; ice cream too.
When you are that age, those are the most important things.
I got into the leading group very fast. You needed to win five games to qualify for the National A and I won five games and drew 10. I achieved it without a single loss. I remember I beat Koshy and three or four others, I drew with Ravi Hegde. 14 people from there qualified for the National A.
I couldn't believe what was happening to my career. I would call the Summer of '83 from June to August as the breakthrough period in my career.
Smooth sailing
After qualifying for the National A, I went to the National sub-juniors in Goa. We stayed with an aunt of mine and had a wonderful time there.
I was expected to win there, after my qualification for the National A. All the attention put a bit of pressure on me, but I won all my nine games. After doing well against the seniors, when you play against the sub-juniors, you would be very confident and that makes the others afraid of you! So, the entire tournament went very smoothly in my favour!
Images: Anand, second from left, being felicitated in Chennai in 1985. On his right is his father Viswanathan, then General Manager, Southern Railway. Kind courtesy: Aruna Anand
Also read: 'I really want to beat Kasaparov'
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