CV Anand talks about his love for sport, 26 years of service

Born in Ranga Reddy district, it was his mother’s idea to shift the whole family to Hyderabad for better education

While catching up with CV Anand, a gentleman who greets with a warm smile and claims to be a 150 per cent Hyderabadi, we got to know more about his athlete- turned-IPS officer life.

Born in Ranga Reddy district, it was his mother’s idea to shift the whole family to Hyderabad for better education. His family then lived near Birla Mandir in Adarsh Nagar colony. CV Anand was undoubtedly a bright student and Mathematics was his favourite subject. While studying in The Hyderabad Public School, he simultaneously progressed in studies and even his sports career took a leap.

He played for U-19 south zone, U-22 Hyderabad and in his standard XII, he was part of U-19 Indian cricket team that toured England. CV Anand says, “Since childhood I was always interested in sports and played different sports from cricket and basketball to athletics.”

It was only later that it got narrowed down to cricket. “Being good in two things isn’t easy — especially to juggle, and since my cricket career, which had a lot of uncertainty, wasn’t doing so well, I decided to do my Masters and apply for the civil exams,” he says. He cracked the exam in the first attempt and since then he has been busy trying his bit to make the country a better place. What makes him an even more exceptional personality is his zeal to never give up and to be always in action.

“I believe in leading from the front and so, I avoid leading the team from behind or giving out orders while sitting in an AC room,” he says. His work has brought him many prestigious awards like the President’s Police Medal and Telangana Excellence Award.

Surprisingly, CV Anand owes a part of his achievements to the messaging app, WhatsApp. “It’s the app of the century! WhatsApp groups have helped the team in breaking walls between departments and makes co-ordination easier and faster.”

Personal life

CV Anand is married to Lalitha, a classical singer and a professor at ISB, whom he met during their college days and is blessed with two sons. One of the sons, Milind is a left-handed batsman who has made it to India U-19 and plays for Hyderabad cricket team. “I have always been proud of my children and they have been a great support.” As a family they all share a great bond and make it a point to spend time often over movies. “We make a great team and since we are all movie buffs, we go for movies and often go for outings.”

Principles he lives by

Time management is one of the keys to success for CV Anand. “Time is precious and if one can manage their time well, they will go a long way,” he says. “Sports taught me to be disciplined, to stay focused, ethical and to be a team player. These qualities keep me grounded,” he adds.

The 49-year-old still plays his favourite game, cricket, and Sunday is dedicated only for cricket. He also says, “Sport is a way of meditation for me and I play whenever I want to destress.” And despite his busy schedule, he has somehow learned how to strike a balance between his work, family and sports. He has been playing tennis regularly which is a new addition, and is looking forward to try his hands on golf soon.