CHENNAI: Five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand was on Wednesday conferred the Sports Journalists' Federation of India medal at a function organised in association with the Tamil Nadu Sports Journalists' Association.

Anand, currently FIDE deputy president, joins a distinguished list of recipients that includes Sunil Gavaskar, Vijay Amritraj, Prakash Padukone, P T Usha and Milkha Singh.

"I am proud in a way to have been a catalyst for the growth of chess in India," Anand said after receiving the honour.

"This is very special because it is hardcore; these are people who will appreciate you for what you did and not necessarily the impact it had or anything else."

The medal was presented to Anand by former India captain and chief selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth at the Madras Cricket Club here.