Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar was born on April 24, 1973 in Mumbai, India. He went to Shradashram Vidyamandir, a high school in Mumbai, where he began his cricketing career under his coach Ramakant Achrekar. He attended the MRF Pace Foundation during his schooldays to train as a fast bowler, but Australian fast bowler Dennis Lillee, who saw him training, was not much impressed and suggested that Tendulkar should focus on his batting instead. As a young boy, Tendulkar would practice for hours at the net, and was driven hard by his coach Achrekar.

While at school, his extraordinary batting skills got noticed by the sports circuit. People felt that the young boy would soon become one of the greats in cricket. In the 1988 season, he scored a century in every inning that he played. In one of the inter school matches that year, he had an unbroken 664-run partnership with friend and team mate Vinod Kambli.

When he was 14, Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar a great Indian batsman of that time, gave him a pair of his own light pads. This touching gesture greatly encouraged the budding cricketer, who 20 years later broke Gavaskar’s world record of 34 Test centuries.
In 1988, when he was just under 16, he scored 100 not out in for Bombay against Gujrat. This was on his first-class debut. He then scored a century in his first appearance in the Deodhar and Duleep Trophy. Mumbai captain Dilip Vengsarkar picked him up after seeing him batting Kapil Dev in the nets. That season he was Bombay’s highest run-getter. In the Irani Trophy final, He made an unbeaten century. He scored a century in all three of his Irani Trophy, Ranji Trophy and Duleep Trophy debuts, and became the first player to do so. He was selected for the tour of Pakistan next year.

At the very young age of 16, Sachin played his first Test match against Pakistan in Karachi in 1989. In this Test, he received several blows to his body at the hands of Waqar Younis, a pace bowler. He made just 15 runs. In the last test in Sialkot, he had a bloody nose from a bouncer, but he went on playing. He scored better in the subsequent games, scoring 53 runs of 18 balls at Peshawar.

In the 1990 Test in England he scored a century at Old Trafford. The English were highly impressed by his disciplined display of immense maturity. He played many types of strokes. His off-side shots from the back foot greatly impressed the English. Though short in height, he confidently faced short deliveries from the English pace bowlers. His great performance made him look the embodiment of Gavaskar, India’s former famous opener.

During the 1991-1992 tour of Australia Tendulkar scored and unbeaten 148 in Sydney and another century on a bouncing pitch a Perth.

At the age of 19, Tendulkar was in England, playing for Yorkshire in 1992. He scored 1070 runs at an average of 45.25 while playing for the English county as the first overseas player.

In the 2003 Cricket World Cup, he made 673 runs in 11 matches which enabled India reach the final. Although Australia won the trophy Tendulkar was given the Man of the Tournament award.

Shortly after this Tendulkar developed a tennis elbow and he was out of cricket for a while. But by 2005, he was back in form. He played well against Australia, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Tendulkar performed very well against Bangla Desh and he was adjudged the Man of the Series in the Future Cup against South Africa.

Today Tendulkar is a national icon to fans all over the world. He is the most worshipped cricketer in the world. Tendulkar has been granted the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Shri, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award, Padma Vibhushan by the Indian government.

Sachin Tendulkar, the person before the professional

In 1995, Sachin married Anjali, a doctor and the daughter of Gujarati industrialist Anand Mehta. They have two children, Sara and Arjun. Tendulkar now sponsors 200 underprivileged children every year through a Mumbai-based NGO.

Every young kid who has lived to see the Sachin Tendulkar magic has a distinct memory of the genius. Those who recall his classics from the archives are fortunate, but those who have had one-on-one interactions should feel blessed. I am part of the latter group who lives to share an experience every kid in the 90s dreamed of, at a time when the entire nation was high on three alphabets - SRT.

My first Tendulkar moment was in the mid-90s - charity match in the small town of Mangalore in coastal Karnataka. A little boy purchased a ticket to watch Sachin. Sachin took off from the very first ball and it was just a matter of time until he got to his century. Mangalore went wild and the little boy caught in the frenzy, high on adrenaline, charged on to the pitch, desperate for a handshake. Almost there, just about to reach forward, at arm's length ... but he was caught by a cop who would lathi charge him back. Life can be unfair. But the consolation for the boy was "I got to see him from so close".

15 years on, the same boy happened to meet Sachin Tendulkar once again, this time at the Taj Lands End Hotel in Mumbai for the unveiling of the legend's wax statue. Sachin was waiting to address the media when I went up to him and narrated the entire story. Quick to acknowledge that charity match, Sachin recalled a few moments just when I interrupted by saying, "That time I was denied the opportunity to shake hands with you and today 15 years on, I finally get my chance."

Sachin's reply was spontaneous and unassuming - "Oh it's my pleasure". With a lump in my throat I replied, "Sir, it's my honour". After exchanging a few more pleasantries I went back to my spot with the rest of the media, but left with a lasting impression on my mind.

Greatness sometimes is the willingness to acknowledge the presence of the lesser known. A mind that's respectful, a person who is compassionate and an individual who is considerate. Sachin has forever been an epitome of such values.

His life is a lesson on how to be a person before being a professional. His principles precede his passion which reflects the ideologies on which he has grown as an individual. While many attach education to one's growth in life, Sachin's upbringing and learning through observation underlines the importance of knowing what's right and adapting around the don'ts. It's said that ;formal education makes you a living but self-education makes you a fortune' and clearly Sachin's fortune is not about his fame, but what kind of person he still is even today.

While his humility is time and again spoken about off the field, his demeanour transforms into discipline on the field. It's evident from the moment he sets out to bat, with that first glance up into the sky, bat under his left arm, putting on his gloves, few warm-up hops and skips and then some shadow practice. Indian cricket is largely built around the aura of an entry that is today synonymous with not just Indian cricket but even world Cricket.

A few observations about Sachin indicate the unmatched focus, consistency and dedication he has maintained over the years. As a young kid Sachin was often seen without a helmet, but after a point one really cannot remember when was the last time he batted without a helmet, even when two spinners were bowling in tandem. Sachin's century celebration of taking off his helmet has got more to do with the innings in context to the match rather than achieving the milestone. Sachin has always enjoyed bowling, his animated field settings to the T speak about the involvement and seriousness with which he wants to excel in every situation. Also the manner in which he chases the ball even today, Sachin hates when the batsmen chance a double when played to him, he even expresses it by hurling the ball to the strikers end from long on, only to tell the batsmen, he is still very much in it.

Even today Sachin shows desperation for that unlikely single, even today, this 39-year-old scampers back for that improbable double and time and again throws himself around on the field only to deny runs and defy age. This is an attitude indicator of an approach that has been built through a resolute mindset over the years. Something most contemporary cricketers don't seem to achieve in the flash and brash of international and league cricket.

The current generation of cricketers who have had a chance to spend time with Sachin should consider themselves lucky. Observation and conversation will help them in their own careers. I've come across quite a few young cricketers who consider themselves the be all and end all of Indian cricket. I only hope they understand what it means to be standing in the company of Sachin Tendulkar.

This doesn't aim to be PR copy, just an account from someone who has grown up admiring a teacher, who still admits he is learning. Cricket is very much in parallel to life - a leveller, an educator and a reminder - as Sachin the student continues to learn, let's also imbibe from him - and walks the path of modesty, humility and humbleness. One can always write about his achievements, milestones and records but let's admire and appreciate the person who hasn't changed one bit with all the adulation and fame. For once, let's applaud the person in him and not just the professional.

At 39, Sachin is not here to prove anything to anyone. He is only being himself even today. A batsman who wants to express himself in the middle, a cricketer who wants to set the right example for a cricket-crazy nation and an individual who wants to be what he has always been. Times change, people do as well, but Sachin the individual hasn't changed much like his straight drive with a full face of the bat.

Sachin & Anjali Tendulkar

It was love at first sight for the two of them and their love story was special indeed. The two of them Sachin Tendulkar and Anjali were fortunate to meet and to join their hearts into one for nearly 16 years of marriage, is a blessing. Anjali Tendulakr, being six years older to her husband, Sachin Tendulkar, says that the age difference doesn't drift their love for each and thus being with her only made him stronger in his personal and professional life as she is always there to support him through everything. For all the fame he achieved even before the start of his international career, Sachin Tendulkar's wife Anjali couldn't recognise him when they first met in 1990 and she says the batting maestro perhaps fell for her lack of cricket knowledge.

They first met at Mumbai airport when Sachin was returning from his 1st tour of England in 1990. Anjali was at the airport to receive her mother. Later they meet through a common friend, they had a courtship period of around 5 years and got married in 1995. Anjali was ignorant about cricket when she first started dating Tendulkar, Anjali said she read up everything about the game soon after but the man himself didn't like discussing the sport at home. On whether Tendulkar's fame had come in the way of getting the simple pleasures like a movie, Anjali recalled how the batting great had to come in disguise to watch a movie during their courtship.
"... We had gone to see the movie Roja. I was studying medicine then and a couple of my friends planned. Sachin did try telling me that it would be difficult but I insisted that he come along. To make sure nobody recognised him, we even got him a beard. He wore specs as well and we went in late. We watched the first half of the film, but during the interval, Sachin dropped his specs and people immediately recognised him. It was a bit of disaster and we were forced to leave halfway," she told a newspaper in an interview.

Anjali gave up her promising medical career to be Tendulkar's "biggest support" and after 14 years of marriage, she doesn't regret her decision one bit. On being the wife of Sachin Tendulkar, Anjali, who is pediatrician says that there is a lot of pressure from both ends, while being a mother to their two kids , Sara and Arjun and looking after her husband! Anjali herself states, “So whether I am his girlfriend or his wife, it's the same thing, just an extension of that bond. I don't find it very difficult and now I'm used to it. It could also be that I've not known any other person in my life except Sachin. Of course, there are many challenges and difficulties to being his wife but the whole family, including my children, has learnt to deal with it

They are an inspiration to the world. Looking at you, we know that soulmates can find and keep each other, commitment means something, a great team can overcome life’s troubles, and love triumphs over all.