Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand's father passed away at the age of 92 on Thursday following a brief illness.
According to a report by PTI, K Viswanathan breathed his last at a city hospital.
A former General Manager of the Southern Railway, Viswanathan is survived by two sons and a daughter.
The news comes as a shocker for him and extends his difficult period after he had to live in Germany by himself last year due to COVID-19 restrictions while travelling.
Anand's wife Aruna gave a tribute to her father-in-law and described him as a great support to the celebrated chess player.
"He was a great support to Anand. He witnessed all of Anand's world championship victories," Aruna said.
"A simple man, he made sure his son had the right values. He took great pride in his achievements," she added.
Viswanathan Anand is a five-time FIDE World Champion and last lost the title to challenger Magnus Carlsen in 2013.
Anand had been stuck in Germany for over three months due to the travel restrictions and lockdown imposed to control the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. With flight services suspended in mid-March, his return to the country was stalled. "It was a unique and bizarre experience for me," Anand told ESPN after returning to home.