Family, friends have kept me grounded: Anand

A QUIET dinner with immediate family is Viswanathan Anand's idea of celebrating a birthday and his 40th was no exception last night. Anand, who shuttles between India and Spain more or less makes it a point to be in Chennai at this time of the year.

He took time off to answer a few questions in his usual candid and witty style.
Are you one of those who fears getting older?
Not really! I don't see any big difference in one number or for that matter in digits! A digit changes every decade while the others move every year. Some of my best results have come in the last three years and I guess I have no reason to complain or fear.

What is the most important lesson you have learnt in 40 years?
Make use of each and every opportunity that comes your way!

How do you not get carried away by success?
I don't think about it too much. Every tournament comes with a fresh set of problems that may not appear visibly and lot of time and effort goes into solving them. Each time, the problems are diverse and you cannot afford to get complacent at any point.
Every year, there are new rivals, newer things to study and my mind is occupied with those things. Then there is my family which keeps me firmly grounded and friends, who are not bothered or affected by what I do or achieve.

Do you feel cricket steals your thunder?
No. At the end of the day, it is how you perform and what you achieve that matters. Personal satisfaction or joy cannot be taken away from you whether you get recognition or not! Whether it is cricket or some other sport, the satisfaction is more in accomplishments rather than rewards or receptions.

If you had to single out a special moment of your career, which one would it be?
I would unhesitatingly point to the World title at Mexico in 2007.
I felt people thought winning the title in a tournament like Mexico was a big joke, but it is not easy.

Your message to young chess players...
I have been watching and been impressed by youngsters at the ongoing National chess championships and hope that they stay entirely committed to the game and work hard.
I would like to thank all those who have supported and interacted with me.