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A smiling grace in Anand's life
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The reticent Vishy Anand and his sprightly wife Aruna are a loving couple. Though having different tastes, they have managed to strike a fine balance.
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TWICE WORLD chess champion Vishwanathan Anand keeps a low profile when it comes to his personal life, but is quite forthright when talking about his wife Aruna. "She is a smiling grace and a big inspiration in my life. I love her company,'' stated Anand, who was in the city recently. The liking is mutual. Aruna said of her `great friend'. "Anand is an absolutely sincere hubby. He is quiet and an immensely charming person. He makes me laugh when I am down and out. We have a lot of fun together."
Aruna, a capable and articulate 28-year-old, handles most of Anand's non-chess matters with comparative ease. Does Anand share his knowledge of the game with his wife? "I talk to her about it, but she doesn't know the game fully well. It's always better that way, because when two people have similar tastes, it could well be a complicated situation at home,'' he remarked with a loaded smile.
Though Aruna had failed to master the game despite Anand taking her to most tourneys, she had become an expert cook, the chess ace said. "I don't know whether she had picked a few moves watching me play, but one thing is sure, she had learnt the art of cooking. Be it Mexican, Malaysian or Chinese, she serves it in a jiffy. Aruna has turned me into a real guinea pig," said Anand. Aruna agreed with his observation but pointed out that Anand relishes rice and rasam better. "Not that my cooking is bad, but he simply likes it."
Does Anand harbour any superstitions? "I am superstitious about breakfasts. It varies from place to place. I wear the same shirt if I keep winning, but it's a silly belief."
Commenting about his life on the board, as a kid and as a world champion, Anand said the joy is the same. "Be it a kid or a champ, you always dream about the game ahead of you and the will to win". Anand, who is running 33, did admit frankly that age had taken a big toll on his game. "In chess, as you age, your tactical abilities tend to slow down. I can also feel it. My style has changed. It keeps evolving from game to game, but then, I compensate for it with my rich experience."
He also makes sure that he keeps himself fit. "If you're not fit, it could well shatter your concentration. In fact, the first thing I do before a tourney is to look out for a good gym. Fitness is more like a perfect massage to your body and mind."
The grand ambassador of chess, who spends most of his time in Spain, has fond memories for the "Manchester of the South". "It's a lucky place for me. When my father was in the Railways, I used to visit the place quite often. I have an affinity for Coimbatore because it is here that I got my first elo-rating. I had earned the International Masters, Grand Masters and the Asian Junior championship titles here." Aruna was quick to add that she has a few friends in Coimbatore.
Anand and Aruna do a fair bit of entertaining, though both prefer the quiet life.
RAYAN ROZARIO
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Thiruvananthapuram
Visakhapatnam
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