Sachin Tendulkar fetes medal winners

New Delhi: Under attack over his absence from Rajya Sabha, Sachin Tendulkar today said there was a medical emergency that kept him away from Delhi and that he did not mean disrespect to any institution. “My absence in Delhi has been discussed rather too much. I don’t mean to disrespect any institution”, he said hours after members in Rajya Sabha raked up his prolonged absence from the House and demanded his participation in its business.

Speaking at a sports function in Vigyan Bhawan not far away from Parliament, he said when he was back from England he wanted to be in Delhi. “There was a medical emergency in my family, certain things I want to keep it private. But just to let you know, my elder brother Ajit had to undergo a bypass surgery and I had to be by his side,” he said, seeking to address criticism about his absence from Delhi and Parliament.

In a veiled reference to the raging discussion about him in Parliament and outside by media, he said “They are discussing everything about you in the media but I think you should be focussed on your job and nothing else”.

He was addressing the medal winners of the Commonwealth Games at a function organised by the Sports Ministry. “I feel happy about my presence in Delhi,” the batting legend said.

“My father once told me that there will be a lot of arms that will try to pull you down but as long as you stay in the right direction you will see that at one point of time you have gone beyond them. They will join hands to praise you,” he said in his address to the athletes.

“As sportspersons, your performance will be analysed and criticised. But one thing that outsiders can’t judge is the satisfaction that you will get when you give your 100 per cent. If you give 100 per cent and still the opposition team wins, you should not feel bad about it,” Tendulkar said

Tendulkar and Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal took turns to give away the awards at the felicitation function. The medal winners received Rs 20 lakh (for gold), Rs 10 lakh (for silver) and Rs 6 lakh (for bronze).