“SACHIN SACHIN….. SACHIN SACHIN”
We all are well acquainted with this sound, we have heard it time and again, as and when Sachin use to set his foot on the stadium. Sachin has been one of the most revered sports players in India. Coincidently his rise in the field of cricket is paralleled with India’s rise in sports. For 23 years, from 1989 to 2013, Sachin has ruled several hearts, created umpteenth records, broken barriers in sports and glorified India in his way. It’s extremely difficult, rather impossible for such an important name to fade post-retirement. After seeing Sachin on the pitch for several years, everyone has been inquisitive about his life post-retirement, curious about how his life will be away from the pitch? Even though his life has drastically changed in another direction, he has not faded from people’s sight.
Contribution to sports
Undoubtedly, he has immensely contributed to Cricket, but post his retirement he has gone beyond cricket. He owns the Indian Super League franchise Kerala Blasters. The Blasters have been part of two ISL finals and command arguably the most fanatic following among any side in the league. Other than this, he also co-owns the Premier Badminton League franchisee Bengaluru Blasters. He also presented BMWs to athletes who starred for India in the Rio Olympics. He was also part of the felicitation of Indian Paralympians who won medals in Rio. He launched the sports management company SRT in 2016.
Books and movies
Sachin is very well aware of his fans’ inquisitiveness about his life. Hence, post his retirement, he has talked more about his journey, childhood, difficulties faced in life, family, and his admiration for cricket through books and movies. “Playing it my way” is an autobiography of Sachin Tendulkar released in 2014. The book shares anecdotes about his life, his cricket career and so much more that hadn’t been unleashed before. Meanwhile, “Sachin: A billion dreams” is a film of Sachin Tendulkar picturizing his life in front of us.
Philanthropy
Sachin has always been an emphatic person, hence philanthropy has always been on his cards. Post-retirement he adopted Puttamraju Kandriga, a village in Andhra Pradesh. “Seeing the village don a new look after two years of intensive infrastructural development, had a joy that can’t be put into words,” he said in the post. He is also a UNICEF ambassador for Hygiene and Sanitation. He is also involved in ‘Spreading Happiness,’ a project that “provides electricity to deprived areas.”
Brand endorsements
Brand endorsements are yet another thing keeping him busy post-retirement. As of today, Tendulkar endorses more than 18 brands. The number is nearly the same as what he used to endorse before his retirement. SBI mutual funds, BMW, IDBI life insurance, Apollo tyres and many more. This side of his life had never been at such a huge display before.
Unlike other cricketers who become cricket gurus or commentators post their retirement, Sachin hasn’t explored it yet. However, we all would certainly love to see him there.
Written by- Sanika Ratnaparakhi
