Viswanathan Anand is world Number One.
Two days after the news that he will take over the mantle from Veselin Topalov on April 1 was formally announced, Shobha Warrier met the Indian chess ace's parents at their Besant Nagar residence in Chennai.
Anand's father, Viswanathan, had finished his daily pooja. Unlike when she met them after Anand became World champion in 2000, the house was quiet. The stream of visitors that turned up then to congratulate the proud parents was missing.
"All of us have been waiting for Anand to be world No 1," declared the visibly happy parents, as they sat down and reflected on their son's reign on the world stage.
Meet the proud parents of the world No 1: >>
Text: Shobha Warrier in Chennai
Photograph: Getty Images
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