Don't have concrete information regarding Viswanathan Anand's return to India, says wife
May 05, 2020
New Delhi [India], May 5 : As the Government of India plans to facilitate the return of Indian nationals stranded abroad in a phased manner, Aruna Anand, wife of five-time chess champion Viswanathan Anand on Tuesday said that the Berlin Embassy in Germany has not received any notification so far.
The world champion, who had gone to Germany to take part in the Bundesliga Chess tournament, was slated to return on March 16. However, he had to extend his stay due to flight restrictions amid the coronavirus outbreak.
"We do not have any concrete information as of now, we are in touch with the relevant authorities. All citizens who are stranded abroad have been asked to register. There are two websites on which they can register, we have registered on both. Now we have to wait and see as to what is offered to us, no exact date is known as of now," Aruna Anand told ANI.
"I think the government is ready to do it in a phased manner. I think the embassy in Berlin has not got the guidelines. We are just waiting for them to get the instructions," she added.
On Monday, the Ministry of Home Affairs released a statement regarding evacuation of stranded Indians which read: "Government of India will be facilitating the return of Indian nationals stranded abroad on compelling grounds in a phased manner. The travel would be arranged by aircraft and naval ships. The Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) has been prepared in this regard."
"Indian Embassies and High Commissions are preparing a list of distressed Indian citizens. This facility would be made available on payment basis. Non-scheduled commercial flights would be arranged for air travel. The travel would begin in a phased manner from May 7," it added.
The World Health Organisation had declared coronavirus as a 'pandemic' on March 11.
