We are just doing our bit to reach out to the flood victims : Aruna Anand

Vishy-Anand-with-wife-ArunaKolkata , December 08 : Grand Master Viswanathan Anand have joined the list of celebrities in support of the Chennai floods . Local boy Anand is now in London , participating in the London Chess Classic . He drew with  current world champion Magnus Carlsen in Round Three on Monday. But his wife Aruna is taking all the initiatives to support the people affected . In a wonderful gesture , Aruna have thrown open the doors of her house in RA Puram for the flood affected people from neighbouring slums .

Speaking to Xtra Time over phone from her house in RA Puram, Mrs Aruna Anand got quite emotional , “The floods have touched the lives of every single person in Chennai .We all go through hardships in our lives , and this is one such incident . All of us are trying to help others in whatever small way we can”

Anand’s house  in RA Puram was turned into a shelter for the neighbouring slums . Following the first floods , as many as 20 people , including two pregnant women started staying at the place . Since it was difficult for Aruna to leave son Akhil and elderly father-in-law at home , she chose to open doors for the affected . Special arrangements were made , as food was cooked in large amounts for all those staying at their home ,“ The rain have started receding and the situation is much better in the last 24 hours . People who were staying with us have started going back to their homes . We are supplying the affected people  with essentials such as blankets and paracetamols.”

Although situated on the ground floor, Anand’s home in RA Puram, was largely unaffected by the torrential rains and the floods that followed. Though most of the city was badly affected, the metropolis is slowly finding its feet, thanks to numerous such instances of help.