A grand welcome was accorded to the city's very own World No.1 Viswanathan Anand when he returned home this afternoon after winning the Chess Championship.
CHENNAI: A grand welcome was accorded to the city's very own World No.1 Viswanathan Anand when he returned home this afternoon after winning the Chess Championship in Mexico.
The reception was on a grand scale with scores of people and students turning out to receive the World Champion, who also broke into the 2800 point barrier this year. Anand was overwhelmed by the reception and he termed it as "awesome."
Anand landed here at the Chennai domestic airport terminal on a Jet Airways flight, which was delayed by half-an-hour.
Scores of people including school children and children as young as three years, thronged the airport to greet the Champion. Many were holding placards greeting him.
Traditional music was played at the airport by two groups-one playing 'Nadaswaram'(wind instrument) and another the traditional 'chendamelam'(percussion) of Kerala.
The World Champion walked out of the arrival lounge to a huge round of applause and cheering by the fans.
He was presented bouquets by students of various schools who had gathered there to greet him. Later, a 'purnakumbam'(a traditional kind of welcome) welcome was accorded on him by a couple of Hindu priests.
Anand was then taken on a two-horse driven chariot from Adyar in the city to his house in Customs Colony. The chariot was preceded by four ceremonial guards on horses.
The bespectacled 37-year old Chennaite sent the crowd into a frenzy when he stood on the chariot and waved the tricolour.
As the procession moved from the venue to his house, hundreds of people thronged the streets to shake hands with him. Many were seen taking his autograph.
The final stage of the ceremony was even more majestic with over 300 students of the Velammal School here taking out a march-past followed by a procession, each holding a banner of the Champion.
People stopped their vehicles to greet him, some of them even got out of their vehicles to hail the Champion.
Lots of people watched and cheered from their rooftops and houses.
Students who were walking alongside the chariot waved the tricolour.
As the Chariot reached the World No.1's residence, situated in a quiet locality, all his neighbours and the school children gathered around him chanting "Anand, Anand..."
His mother Susheela and his wife Aruna received him at his residence.
Anand later said that he never expected such a welcome.
"It is totally out of the world. Awesome... I am at a loss for words. The whole journey was fantastic," he said and thanked everyone, especially the school children, for making this a memorable day in his life."
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