NEW DELHI: World chess champion Viswanathan Anand was denied an honorary doctorate from University of Hyderabad because the government is confused over his citizenship.
The University of Hyderabad had decided to award Anand an honorary doctorate in 2009 and formally forwarded the proposal to the human resource development ministry recently.
Since all foreign awardees require approval from the ministry of external affairs, the HRD ministry raised the citizenship queries to the university as Anand lives with his wife in Spain.
"We are very upset. We don't have to prove to anyone if we are Indian," said an upset Aruna Anand, wife of the world champion.
"Anand has given everything to the game and also he has no time to take the award and attend the event", she further added.
University sources said all relevant documents were forwarded to the ministry, which was expected to approve them and send them to President Pratibha Patil, who holds the official title of Visitor at the University of Hyderabad.