Chennai, Nov 29 (UNI) Indian Chess icon Viswanathan Anand will be awarded the Honorary Membership by the more than 150-year-old Madras Cricket Club (MCC) here on December one for winning the World Championship title for the second time.
MCC President S K A Manickavasagam told UNI here today that though the Club had given such awards to cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev and Tennis player Leander Paes, Anand would be the first chess player to get this honour.
During the nearly one hour long function, Anand would play rapid chess with about 20 children, wards of MCC members, and interact with them.
After the Rapid Chess, the Honorary Membership would be conferred on him.
All the past presidents of the Club and its members would be attending the function, Mr Manickavasagam said.
UNI