Calcutta, Feb. 25 :    Calcutta, Feb. 25:  It has been a series of felicitations and a long, long joy ride for world chess champion Viswanathan Anand. Not that this has been entirely without side effects, though. The fatigue shows, and an early reitrement for the day was the prime thing on Anand's mind after his evening arrival here on the occasion of the 25th anniversary celebrations of the Alekhine Chess Club. Passengers from the evening Delhi flight trooped into the arrival lounge, and tagging along slowly, pretty casually too, was the world champion. Airport hands paid no heed at first, but the face looked familiar and slowly they warmed to a few autographs. Perhaps they have become used to the sheer arrogance from lesser mortals from other so-called glamour disciplines. The fact that Anand and wife Aruna had wait-listed tickets in Delhi, giving them a few worrying moments was something that Aruna quite casually talked about to this corespondent. Sheer humility, that. Returning to the city after nearly nine years - he was here for the 1992 Goodricke chess championship where he finished second - he waded into a spirited, albeit a trifle chaotic welcome from a host of enthusiastic kid chess players at the airport. That was possibly the only part in his trip so far that made him look of the stature that he is. Later, the 31-year-old Chennai star said he preserved 'many pleasant memories' of this city, and would have come back earlier, but important engagements always prevented that. City-based world under-12 champion Deep Sengupta garlanded Anand on his arrival at the airport. Anand will be playing a simultaneous chess exhibition meet at Gorky Sadan tomorrow. He said he was happy that chess was finally taking deep roots in the country of its origin and that sponsors were coming forward. 'That is a good sign, and I believe that chess, as one of the oldest organised sport, is getting its due attention and popularity.' That recognition has come from the Union government as well, with the perfect gentleman expressing his happiness with the Padmabhusan. On what he told Sachin Tendulkar when they met in Mumbai recently, he said: 'Good wishes for the Australia tour.' He said though he has been able to work with GM Krishnan Sasikiran 'only once so far, though I did get to know P. Harikrishna pretty well in Holland.' 'I see in them and in Abhijit Kunte, great potential. They have just become Grandmasters, give them some time to evolve. Some take three years, some less, some five. But they will reach good levels,' said Anand. Anand, who will be going over to Monaco for a tournament involving the tops like Vladimir Kramnik, Alexi Shirov and Peter Leko from March 16, said his second Ubilva has 'sort of become permanent,' and 'I work out with Leko off and on. We keep meeting.' Aruna, on her first visit to this city, did not feel that being the wife of a world champion does involve extra pressure.'It's nice moving around, the atmosphere hasn't changed much. It's good,' she said. Tomorrow the couple want to go through the city a bit, maybe visit the Kalighat temple. Then the world champions sits with some local coaches and players for a brain-strorming session before the wizard of rapid chess shows off his prowess in a sumultaneous meet.