Editing Viswanathan Anand (section)

== Personal life ==
Anand married Aruna in 1996 and has a son, born on 9 April 2011, named in the traditional patronymic way Anand Akhil.<ref>{{cite web|title=Aruna and Anand have a baby boy|url=https://en.chessbase.com/post/aruna-and-anand-have-a-baby-boy/9|website=ChessBase|date=14 April 2011|access-date=29 April 2018|archive-date=30 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180430045810/https://en.chessbase.com/post/aruna-and-anand-have-a-baby-boy/9|url-status=live}}</ref>

Anand is a [[Hindus|Hindu]] and stated that he visits temples to enjoy the tranquility and joy they symbolize.<ref name="Anand number one in the news">{{cite web |url=https://en.chessbase.com/post/anand-number-one-in-the-news/584 |title=Anand number one in the news |date=4 April 2021 |access-date=4 April 2021 |archive-date=25 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210625161004/https://en.chessbase.com/post/anand-number-one-in-the-news/584 |url-status=live }}</ref> He has credited his daily prayers with helping him achieve a "heightened state of mind" that helps him focus better when playing chess.<ref name="Anand number one in the news" />

In August 2010, Anand joined the board of directors of [[Olympic Gold Quest]], a foundation for promoting and supporting India's elite sportspersons and potential young talent.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=6592 |title=Chess News&nbsp;– NYT: India swoons over its chess champ |website=ChessBase |date=10 August 2010 |access-date=11 November 2010 |archive-date=16 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100816034931/http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=6592 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/Vishwanathan-Anand-joins-Olympic-Gold-Quest/Article1-583158.aspx |title=Vishwanathan Anand joins Olympic Gold Quest |work=[[Hindustan Times]] |date=6 August 2010 |access-date=11 November 2010 |archive-date=27 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927015224/http://www.hindustantimes.com/Vishwanathan-Anand-joins-Olympic-Gold-Quest/Article1-583158.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://sports.rediff.com/report/2010/aug/07/anand-joins-board-of-olympic-gold-quest.htm |title=Anand joins board of Olympic Gold Quest |website=[[Rediff.com]] |date=7 August 2010 |access-date=11 November 2010 |archive-date=15 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100815030022/http://sports.rediff.com/report/2010/aug/07/anand-joins-board-of-olympic-gold-quest.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> On 24 December 2010, he was the guest of honour on the grounds of [[Gujarat University]], where 20,486 players created a new world record of simultaneous chess play at a single venue.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.indiavoice.info/2010/12/ahmedabad-in-guinness-for-new-chess.html |title=Anand at Ahmedabad for Chess world record |website=IndiaVoice |date=25 December 2010 |access-date=25 December 2010 |archive-date=21 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721210437/http://blog.indiavoice.info/2010/12/ahmedabad-in-guinness-for-new-chess.html |url-status=usurped }}</ref>

His hobbies are reading, swimming, and listening to music.<ref name="interview" />

Anand has been regarded as an unassuming person with a reputation for refraining from political and psychological ploys and instead focusing on his game.<ref name="niceguy" /> This has made him a well-liked figure throughout the chess world for two decades, evidenced by the fact that Kasparov, Kramnik, and Carlsen, all of whom were rivals for the world championship during Anand's career, each aided him in his preparations for the [[World Chess Championship 2010|2010 World Chess Championship]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=6346 |title=Chess News&nbsp;– Anand in Playchess&nbsp;– the helpers in Sofia |access-date=19 May 2010 |date=19 May 2010 |website=ChessBase |archive-date=22 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100522043142/http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=6346 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/chess/Kasparov-Kramnik-came-to-Viswanathan-Anands-aid/articleshow/5951083.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811065828/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-05-20/chess/28298541_1_vladimir-kramnik-anand-topalov-rustam-kasimdzhanov|url-status=live|archive-date=11 August 2011|title=Kasparov, Kramnik came to Viswanathan Anand's aid|date=20 May 2010|work=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=21 October 2010}}</ref> Anand is sometimes known as the "Tiger of Madras".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/3282237/Chess-world-title-Viswanathan-Anand-beats-Vladimir-Kramnik.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/3282237/Chess-world-title-Viswanathan-Anand-beats-Vladimir-Kramnik.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Chess world title: Viswanathan Anand beats Vladimir Kramnik |last=Moore |first=Matthew |date=30 October 2008 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |access-date=6 July 2010 |location=London}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Anand was the only sportsperson invited to the dinner Indian Prime Minister [[Manmohan Singh]] hosted for US President [[Barack Obama]] on 7 November 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/report/obama-visit-pm-hosts-private-dinner-for-obamas/20101107.htm|title=Obamas meet India's high and mighty|date=8 November 2010|website=Rediff.com|access-date=13 October 2011|archive-date=13 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110113194840/http://www.rediff.com/news/report/obama-visit-pm-hosts-private-dinner-for-obamas/20101107.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

Anand was denied an honorary doctorate from [[University of Hyderabad]] because of confusion over his citizenship status; India's [[Minister of Human Resource Development (India)|Minister of Human Resource Development]] [[Kapil Sibal]] later apologised and said, "There is no issue on the matter as Anand has agreed to accept the degree at a convenient time depending on his availability".<ref>{{cite web|author=<!--Updated 1136 hrs 3 February 2010(+5:30 GMT)--> |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/citizenship-row-sibal-apologises-to-anand/129498-5-23.html?from=tn |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100825183600/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/citizenship-row-sibal-apologises-to-anand/129498-5-23.html?from=tn |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 August 2010 |title=Citizenship row: Sibal apologises to Anand |website=Ibnlive.in.com |date=3 February 2010 |access-date=11 November 2010}}</ref> According to ''[[The Hindu]]'', Anand finally declined to accept the doctorate.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article591737.ece?homepage=true|title=Anand refuses to accept honorary doctorate|first=M. Rajeev, V.V.|last=Subrahmanyam|newspaper=The Hindu|date=24 August 2010|access-date=25 August 2010|archive-date=27 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140327181850/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article591737.ece?homepage=true|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 26 May 2015, Anand's mother died at age 79.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Viswanathan Anand's Mother Sushila Passes Away {{!}} Chess News |url=https://sports.ndtv.com/chess/viswanathan-anand-s-mother-sushila-passes-away-1499823 |access-date=20 July 2022 |website=NDTVSports.com |archive-date=20 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220720030827/https://sports.ndtv.com/chess/viswanathan-anand-s-mother-sushila-passes-away-1499823 |url-status=live }}</ref> On 15 April 2021, Anand's father died at age 92.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/chess/viswanathan-anands-father-dies-7274546/|title=Viswanathan Anand's father dies|date=15 April 2021|access-date=15 April 2021|archive-date=15 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415160537/https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/chess/viswanathan-anands-father-dies-7274546/|url-status=live}}</ref>