Manuel Aaron

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Manuel Aaron (born 30 December 1935, Toungoo, Burma) an Indian chess master.

He had his schooling in Tamil Nadu (Madras state) and then moved to Allahabad University to graduate in science. Aaron won the state of Tamil Nadu Championship 11 times (1957-1982), and the India National Championship 9 times (1959-1981). Represented India several times in Asian zonal tournaments. He won the West Asian Zonal against Mongolia's Sukien Momo 3-1 and the Asian-Australian Zonal final against C.J.S. Purdy of Australia 3-0 in 1961. The following year he played at the Stockholm interzonal and although finishing last (23rd place) he inflicted defeats upon Lajos Portisch and Wolfgang Uhlmann. This performance earned him the Arjuna Award, the first-ever chess to be so honoured.

Aaron played thrice at the Chess Olympiads. He captained the Indian team at Leipzig 1960 (+2 –10 =8), and at Varna 1962 (+7 –6 =4). In 1964, he played at second board in Tel Aviv (+4 –7 =6). He also led India to the 2nd Asian Team Championship at Auckland in 1977 and to the 4th Asian T-ch at Hangzhow in China in 1981. He took 4th in the Commonwealth Championship at Hongkong 1984. The event was won by Raymond Keene.

Awarded the IM title in 1961 he was India's first. Aaron has been the Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Chess Association (1977 and 1997) as well as the All India Chess federation.