Anand Turns Spectator, At St Joseph's

By Arvind Aaron

World champion Viswanathan Anand was given a big welcome when he turned up this morning to visit the National Premier Women Chess Championship at the St Joseph's College of Engineering on December 8.

Dr Babu Manoharan, Director, St Joseph's College of Engineering, welcomed him with a "ponadai", and greeted him to watch the games. Later, he offered him coffee and introduced the chess players of his institution to the world champ.

Anand was riddled with questions one after the other by P. Karthikeyan, who is a student at this college and an International Master. Anand replied and appreciated his curiosity in wanting to know "many things".

Anand also briefly spoke to the press. Is playing in Sofia a disadvantage? Anand disagreed and said he would be looking at the 64 squares of the board and playing chess and did not seem to be disturbed playing at his opponent's backyard.

Anand will be playing next at Wijk aan Zee in Holland from Jaunary 2010 and the world title match at Sofia from April 5-25. It will be a Topalov versus Anand match. Anand is a three time champion and will be defending the title.
 

The champion watched the position on the board closely and also enquired who is in third place behind Meenakshi and Harika. Muthukumar, Secretary of the Kanchipuram District Chess Association presented him a memento inside the playing hall while Dr Babu Manoharan presented him a memento at his reception area.

College students greeted the world championship by forming a long road for him from the moment he got out of his car to the venue of the National Championship. 

It was a memorable day for the St Joseph's College students to have a world chess champion visit their campus.