Coronavirus | Viswanathan Anand returns to India after being stuck in Germany for 3 months

Former world chess champion Viswanathan Anand returned to India on Saturday after being stuck for over three months in Germany owing to restrictions in travel that were imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Chennai-based Anand headed for Germany in February to participate in the Bundesliga chess league and was scheduled to return to India in March. However, those plans took a backseat due to the COVID-19 outbreak, which had subsequently brought international travel to a complete halt.

Viswanathan ​​​​​​​Anand boarded an Air India flight (AI-120) from Frankfurt via Delhi and arrived at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru around 1:15PM on Saturday as flights from Germany are scheduled to land only in Delhi and Bengaluru. The chess champion's wife, Aruna Anand, told news agency PTI, "Yes...Anand has arrived. He is fine and settling down,". She further added, "We are happy that Anand is back after a long time. He will complete quarantine procedures and come to Chennai as per protocol,".

Anand will be under institutional quarantine for seven days and is required to test negative during this period, as per the protocols issued by the Karnataka government. Later, he will be sent to home quarantine for 14 days. Prior to his return to India, Anand had been staying near Frankfurt and took part in online commentary for the Candidates tournament in Russia until it had to be called off mid-way, also because of the COVID-19 outbreak. He had been maintaining regular contact with his family in Chennai on a regular basis via video calls and engaged himself with more chess.