Chandigarh: Legendary athlete Milkha Singh strongly feels that iconic Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar should be appointed Sports Minister of the country as he understands the problems faced by sportsperson and can raise the overall standard.
"Tendulkar should be made the sports minister. He has full knowledge about sports and it can be of immense help in lifting the standard of sports in the country. If he becomes the minister, the standard of sports will definitely go up," Singh said here today.
He said that Tendulkar is very sincere and can do the job well.
"He knows the difficulties which are being faced by the sportspersons. I think he can do this job well. The government should not face any major hurdle in making him the sports minister since he is already a Rajya Sabha member," Singh told PTI.
Singh, popularly known as the 'Flying Sikh', recalled his past meetings with Tendulkar.
"He is very humble, decent, sincere and a hard worker. He can guide the upcoming talent very well," the octogenarian added.
Meanwhile, talking to reporters in Amritsar, cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu said the retiring cricketer is not just an individual but he is an institution, whose name will be remembered forever.
"There has never been a player like Sachin and never will be," the BJP MP from Amritsar said.
In Hoshiarpur, Punjab, on the sidelines of a function yesterday, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh said that it is difficult to imagine an Indian team without Tendulkar.
"But, I guess, we will have to prepare ourselves for this," Harbhajan said.
He recalled having met Tendulkar in Chandigarh, when he was asked to bowl during a net practice session nearly 16 years ago. The batting legend was impressed with Harbhajan's bowling and told him that he has the talent to play for the Indian team in future.
"He is like an elder brother, a great motivator," he added.
Borde wants to see Tendulkar as Sports Minister
Borde wants to see Tendulkar as Sports Minister
Noida: Lauding Sachin Tendulkar's love for sports, former Test cricketer Chandu Borde today said he wants to see the retiring legend as Sports Minister of India in future.
"I do not believe Sachin can ever distance himself from sports. It's in his blood. In the future, I wish to see him don the cap of India's Sports Minister and raise our overall sports performance to glorious levels, as he has done for Indian cricket," said Borde, who was also the former chairman of national selectors, during a function organised at Global Indian international Cricket Academy.
Borde, who was the Indian team manager on Tendulkar's debut tour in 1989, said the way the iconic batsman carried himself both on and off the field was an impeccable example for youngsters to follow.
"Sachin always kept his emotions under control and played the game in its right spirit. Even in incidents where he was wrongfully dismissed by the umpires, he did not dispute the decisions or show any negative behaviour towards the umpires.
"If a cricketer of his stature can behave in such a dignified manner, then his behaviour sets an example for the cricketers of the day to keep their emotions in check and concentrate on their game," he said.
The 40-year-old veteran will be playing his landmark 200th and final Test of his career against the West Indies starting tomorrow at his home ground in Mumbai and Borde believes even after hanging up his boots the little man will continue to inspire youngsters to take up sports.
"There are so many marvellous qualities in Sachin that I think he will continue to be a youth icon. Sachin has sacrificed tremendously for the game. He could have enjoyed the pleasures of youth, but he single-mindedly carried on with his disciplined lifestyle due to his love for the game," said Borde, the vice president of Global Schools Foundation.
Sushil also wants Sachin to become sports minister
Sushil also wants Sachin to become sports minister
Mumbai: Two-time Olympic medallist wrestler Sushil Kumar today joined the bandwagon of sportspersons who wanted retiring champion batsman Sachin Tendulkar to become India's sports minister, saying that it would be beneficial to sports in the country.
"He should become the Sports minister, only then sports will benefit. He treats all the athletes equally. He is our supporter and he can understand. He has given 24 years to the country and worked hard. he knows what sportsmen need and what they should get," Sushil said here at the India Today event 'Salaam Sachin'.
"I consider him to be God... The reason I am asking him to be a sports minister is that he will understand. Our Chief Minister of Haryana Bhupinder Hooda is a tennis player. He has changed the sporting culture of Haryana. It is the only way sports will be elevated," he added.
Ace tennis player Sania Mirza said the choice should be entirely left to Tendulkar on what he wants to pursue after retirement.
"If Sachin decides to do that, whether it is politics or just administration for grassroots sports. Because, cricket already has that push, but other sports need that. He has inspired people for many years and is the best at what he does. People automatically would listen (to him).
"I think we need to let him chill out for a year and let him relax. We need to let him decide what he wants to do. If he does want to help and he does, so he will. I don't think we should give him that kind of pressure. Let him be pressure-free for six months at least," she said.
Sania added that game of cricket will not be the same again after Tendulkar retires.
"I think that we as a country would miss him. I think somebody in the form of a Virat Kohli or a Rohit Sharma keep the legacy going forward but it will never be the same without Sachin," she said.Sushil recollected that he was tongue-tied when he spoke to the Tendulkar after winning a silver in the London Olympics.
"When I spoke to Sachin over phone, it was double the happiness. Firstly, I had won back to back medals. I spoke to Sachin after winning silver in London Olympic. For five minutes I kept saying yes sir, yes sir, because I didn't know what to say.
"After the 2008 Beijing Olympics, I had met him at an event and touched his feet. He told me you also play for the country and have done a good job and keep doing that," he said.
Sania recounted her best memory with Sachin Tendulkar when he gifted her a car.
"I was just 16 and won the junior Wimbledon and came back home. There was a lot going on and I was very overwhelmed with the support. The best thing that happened was I got a call from a dear friend of ours. He said Sachin Tendulkar wants to gift you a Fiat Palio. He gave a signatured (car). He didn't even know me and to me as a 16-year-old that was so inspiring.
"I was more excited to talk to him over phone when he actually called me and congratulated me rather than have that car. That is my best memory of Sachin and that defined him, how he supported someone who was just 15 or 16 years old. He didn't have to do that but he did," she said.
She admired the way Tendulkar handled the media pressure and was not affected by it.
"One incident I remember very well. I think Sachin was maybe going through a few tough matches. This was many years ago. I read a headline 'Endulkar'. He came back in the next match and hit a hundred. To me that is what a champion does. He blocked it out. Maybe in vengeance, he hit that hundred. He did it beautifully and that is the only way you can survive at the top," she said.
