In a 45-second video shared on Twitter, Tendulkar can be seen playing carrom and interacting and sharing jokes with the women inmates.

Legendary Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar on Thursday spent some time with the inmates of St. Anthony’s Old Age Home located in Bandra here on the occasion of National Sports Day.

In a 45-second video shared on Twitter, Tendulkar can be seen playing carrom and interacting and sharing jokes with the women inmates. 

“Spent some time with these wonder women at the St. Anthony’s Old Age Home, felt blessed by the love shown by them. Their excitement to play carrom knew no bounds,” Tendulkar tweeted

“As rightly said by our honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sports and fitness is for all,” he added.

Meanwhile, ace boxer Mary Kom also shared a video in which she can be seen practising at a beach. 

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi launched the Fit India Movement at the Indira Gandhi National Stadium in New Delhi and urged citizens to inculcate sports and fitness in their day-to-day lives. 

“Fitness has always been an integral part of our culture. But, there is indifference towards fitness issues now. A few decades back, a normal person would walk 8-10km in a day, do cycling or run,” Modi said.

Mixed with anecdotes and jokes and drawing parallels from everyday life, the Prime Minister’s speech stressed the importance of fitness.

Modi also paid tributes to hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand. 

“I extend my wishes to all of you on National Sports Day. It was on this day that India got a sports star like Major Dhyan Chand who left the world spell-bound. Today is also the day to congratulate our young players, who are constantly giving new glory to the tricolour on the world stage,” Modi said.

“Be it badminton, tennis, athletics, boxing, wrestling or other sports, our players are giving new wings to our expectations and aspirations. The medals won by them are a result of their austerity and it is also a measure of new India’s new passion and new confidence,” he added.

NAVI MUMBAI: Giving his own example, cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar on Tuesday exhorted youngsters not to take short cuts in life if they are to avoid getting “exposed in front of the world”. “In my life I have learnt so many things, one thing which I possibly missed out, talking about discipline, concentration, focus, planning, execution, but above all I think there were number of occasions when I was not able to perform to my expectations,” Tendulkar said.

“I failed also, but sport and right team taught me to get back on my feet again and not find short cuts. There will be tough challenges along the way (but) don’t cheat (otherwise) you will get exposed in front of the whole world.”

Tendulkar, along with former England captain Mike Gatting and Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) president Vijay Patil, launched the ‘Tendulkar Middlesex Global Academy DY Patil Sports Centre’ in Nerul.

The batting great also recalled the contribution made by his brother Ajit and the late Ramakant Achrekar , his coach.

“I started discussing cricket with my brother from day one of my career and even on the last day of my career when I was dismissed, we were still discussing how I got dismissed and what could I have done, knowing that I may not go out to bat again. So his contribution is invaluable.”

Tendulkar also spoke about ‘Achrekar sir’, who taught him at the Shivaji Park ground in central Mumbai.

“The second person my coach Ramakant Achrekar Sir, I miss him today. He has played a huge role in my life in making me who I am today.

“Those childhood experiences will stay with me and what he did for me, not just for me, but I have got another India player – Vinod Kambli , we both thought of Achrekar sir today and this is a big step in my life because the game has given me everything.”

He said that he grew watching up Mike Gatting, who played 79 Tests for England, and later played against him.

“I have got a world class player sitting next to me Mike Gatting, I grew up watching him and also had privilege to play against him,” added Tendulkar.

He also batted for a fit and healthy India.

“We should push ourselves to play some sport, adopt some sport, it could be for fun. The dream is to transform India from a sports-loving nation to sports playing nation.

“It is all about health, keeping good health and leading new lifestyle,” urged Tendulkar, who has spoken about it on multiple platforms.

He also said that students should maintain a balance between studies and sports.

“I will say it is important to focus on both the things. It is important to have a balance. When you are on the ground think about it and when you are studying, think about that.

“I want to give message to parents that be it studies or sports, don’t put pressure on kids,” he signed off.

On Sunday, February 2, over 12,000 runners will be participating in the fourth edition of the IDBI Federal Life Insurance Kolkata Full Marathon.

On Sunday, February 2, over 12,000 runners will be participating in the fourth edition of the IDBI Federal Life Insurance Kolkata Full Marathon, an event which will be flagged off by IDBI’s brand ambassador Sachin Tendulkar. Runners from across the country have registered for the marathon, which will start from the Rangers Maidan on Red Road. The four categories this year include the Full Marathon, Half Marathon, Timed 10K and 5k Fun Run.

“Every year the IDBI Federal Life Insurance Kolkata Full Marathon has had something special to offer. This year too, we will see a diverse range of runners participating across the race categories which is very encouraging. Events like the IDBI Federal Life Insurance Kolkata Full Marathon play a huge role in influencing people to embrace a healthy way of life,” Tendulkar was quoted as saying by IANS.

“We are steadily moving in the direction of transforming India from a sports-loving nation to a sports playing nation,” the former India captain added.

This year, the marathon has also invited runners from around 10 corporates, including 30 children from Dakshini Prayash, an NGO that works with under-privileged children.

The last two years, 45-years-old Anjali Saraogi, had won the Full Marathon in the women’s category, and will be looking to register her third straight title this year. Saraogi is the fastest Indian female runner in the 10k category and has represented India at the world level. Deepak Bandbe, India’s fastest 10k male runner, will be seen competing in the Half Marathon men’s category.

This edition of the marathon, like every year, will also see someone as young as 7-year-old Pradyuti (5k Fun Run), and someone as old as w86-years-old Janardhan B.R (Half Marathon) as the participants. Also will be seen a specially-abled runner, Uday Kumar, whose legs are amputated.

Ellyse ​Perry had threw out the challenge to Sachin Tendulkar on social media on Saturday afternoon via a video message. The India great accepted the challenge to face Perry for an over during the Bushfire Bash.

Batting great and former India cricketer Sachin Tendulkar batted for the first time in five and a half years as he faced an over from Australian women cricketer Ellyse Perry during Bushfire Bash, a charity match at Junction Oval, Melbourne on Sunday.

The Bushfire Bash is a 10-over per side charity match between Ponting XI and Gilchrist XI, where a host of cricket legends are helping raise funds for the Australia bushfire relief effort. Tendulkar, who is coaching the Ponting XI, came out of retirement here after a request from Ellyse Perry and faced her for an over during the innings break.

Tendulkar got off the mark with a boundary as Perry bowled an over to the India legend with 10 of her Aussie teammates in the field.

Sachin Tendulkar has donated Rs 50 lakh for COVID-19 relief efforts in the country.

On a day Mirror carried a report about sports stars around the world coming out openly to make the world a better place in these testing times, the cricket legend has done his own bit, although he would not like to make an announcement.

Of the Rs 50 lakh, Rs 25 lakh has been contributed to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund in Maharashtra, which is fast emerging as the epicentre of coronavirus victims in India.

Mirror has learnt from sources close to him that he would not speak about it, just as he had not spoken about his contributions during other calamities. For instance, he had donated 25,000 Australian dollars for bushfire victims in Australia in January.

“He does not want to speak, he regularly contributes to relief funds during calamities,” said the source. He had donated his entire salary as an MP to the PM’s relief fund and also contributes regularly to the NGO Apnalaya.

Earlier in the morning, the Mumbai Cricket Association held a teleconference and decided to donate Rs 50 lakh to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

Sachin had earlier donated Rs 50 lakh to help India in its battle against COVID-19.

After donating Rs 50 lakh to help India in its fight against COVID-19, batting legend Sachin Tendulkar has now pledged to help 5000 people with their ration for a month with the help of an NGO named Apnalaya as the country is in the middle of a lockdown in an attempt to beat the spread of the virus.

The only Indian sportsperson to be given the Bharat Ratna honour, Tendulkar, will provide ration to people belonging to the underprivileged section of the society for an entire month.

The NGO themselves took to Twitter to break the news and thanked the master batsman for extending his support at a time when the entire world is battling a pandemic.

“Thank you, @sachin_rt for stepping in & helping Apnalaya help the ones suffering the most during this lockdown. He will be taking care of the ration of around 5000 people for a month. There are many more individuals who need your support, people! Donate below!”, Apnalaya posted on Twitter.

Replying to the tweet, Tendulkar wrote: “My best wishes to @ApnalayaTweets to continue your work in the service of the distressed and needy. Keep up your good work.”

The dreaded COVID-19 virus has already infected more than 16,00,000 people worldwide while it has also claimed over 96,000 lives. There is still no sure shot treatment of the virus and social distancing, self-isolation and maintaining hand hygiene remain the only potent weapons to prevent oneself from getting infected.

Tendulkar has made the donation of an unspecified amount to Hi5 Youth Foundation, a non-profit organisation based out of Mumbai.

Legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has provided financial aid to 4000 underprivileged people, including children from Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) of Mumbai, amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Tendulkar has made the donation of an unspecified amount to Hi5 Youth Foundation, a non-profit organisation based out of Mumbai.

“Thanks Sachin Tendulkar for proving once again that sports encourages compassion! Your generous donation towards our COVID-19 fund enables us to financially aid 4000 underprivileged people, including children from BMC schools. Our budding sportspersons thank you, Little Master!” tweeted the organisation while expressing gratitude to Tendulkar.

The 47-year-old also replied to the organisation and said: “Best wishes to team Hi5 for your efforts in supporting families of daily wage earners.”

In April, the former Indian batsman had pledged to help around 5,000 people for a month in Shivaji Nagar and Govandi area of Mumbai through an NGO named Apnalaya.

Before that, he had donated Rs 25 lakh each to the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM-CARES Fund) and Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (Maharashtra) in his bid to join the fight against COVID-19.

The Master Blaster has been urging people to adhere to the guidelines issued by the government and stay indoors during the ongoing nationwide lockdown in place amid the coronavirus pandemic which has claimed over 1900 lives in the country thus far.

When Sachin Tendulkar talks, people listen. The iconic cricketer has generously lent his voice and money in the fight against COVID-19. And he’s not the only sports star pitching in to do his bit.

The late 1980s was a challenging period for India, and the nation desperately needed hope and respite. They needed a savior. And, some would say, they got one. In 1989 Sachin Tendulkar, the most unlikely of heroes, emerged.

The then 16-year-old cricket player made his debut in international cricket. His contagious charisma and incredible talent won over the hearts of millions, effectively bringing together an entire nation.

Mesmerised by the way he swung his bat as a flyer, thrashing speeding attacks and crushing former records, the people finally found their escape from real life. Kids idolised him and parents wished they had raised him.

Even fellow cricketers, opponents and home team alike, praised his name. Famous batsman Brian Lara once said, “Tendulkar is to cricket what Michael Jordan is to basketball and Muhammad Ali is to boxing.”

Australian cricketer Mark Waugh admitted that when playing against him, “you almost want to see him get a few runs, just to see him bat”. Perhaps the highest praise though came from Australia’s Matthew Hayden, during a tour in 1998: “I have seen God. He bats at No. 4 for India in tests.”

And today, while Sachin is no longer batting professionally after retiring in 2013, the ‘God of cricket’ has yet again risen – this time as a hero for the sick and hungry.

In light of COVID-19 and its merciless grip on India, the cricket legend made a significant donation to not-for-profit organisation Apnalaya in April to help feed 5,000 people for a month during the country’s aggressive lockdown.

He has further helped with rations for 2,670 people in Alibaug, a coastal town in Maharashtra, and donations for 4,000-plus people from underprivileged families, and 2,500 people in other separate donations.

Earlier, Sachin contributed another desperately needed INR50 lakh to help fight COVID-19 at the government level, giving INR25 lakh (US$32,000) to each the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund and Chief Minister’s Relief Fund in Maharashtra – an area which fast emerged as the epicentre of coronavirus victims in India.

“Being safe lies in our hands – yours and mine.” – Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin’s philanthropy does not arise out of event-based donations, however. He has been making significant contributions, irrespective of whether disasters arise or not.

According to a source close to Sachin, he has committed close to a million dollars worth of donations through the various NGOs he works with.

As an honorary member of Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Parliament of India, he donated his entire salary of INR95 lakh (US$126,000) – which he was entitled to receive as a Rajya Sabha MP – towards the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.

He also adopted two villages, Donja in Maharashtra and Puttamraju Kandriga in Andhra Pradesh, where he created infrastructure and ensured they became open defecation free.

He said on LinkedIn, “Seeing the village don a new look after two years of infrastructural development had a joy that can’t be put into words.” Sachin has also used his platform to empower his fans worldwide during this uncertain time.

He was one of the earliest to raise awareness about COVID-19, making a series of videos – which were seen by millions of his online followers, and was also picked up by regional and national media houses, government and non-government agencies to amplify the messaging further.

Partnering with WHO (World Health Organization) to share its #SafeHands Challenge, Sachin filmed himself talking about the dangers of COVID-19 and followed it up with a 20-second hand wash, cementing current hygiene guidelines while proving it’s a fight the entire world – rich and poor, young and old – is in together.

“Being safe lies in our hands – yours and mine,” he says in yet another message of hope, this time directed towards the many Indian nationals working in Singapore. To close out his message, he shares, “Stay at home, stay healthy. Let us all work together to overcome this challenge.”

Sachin is in a very unique position to offer help on a grand scale during this pandemic. Being one of the best cricket players of all time has brought him incredible wealth, both from his time on the field and indirectly through advertising.

As a trusted voice to millions, he continues to earn more and more as the face of hundreds of popular brands like BMW, Gillette, DBS, Apollo Tyres and IDBI Federal Life Insurance, to name a few. In fact, he’s one of India’s highest-paid brand ambassadors.

When he speaks, people listen. Post-retirement, Sachin has proven he’s more than just a talented sportsman and trusted influencer, he’s also quite the businessman. To manage brand Sachin, he launched his company called SRT Sports Management alongside his wife Dr Anjali Tendulkar.

Through this organisation, he hopes to transform India from a sport-loving nation to a sport-playing nation. He’s also involved with businesses ranging from the tech space to sports and retail.

In 2013, the master cricketer invested in sports entertainment company Smaaash Entertainment, which operates in Mumbai, Gurgaon, Nolda, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Ludhiana. Three short years later, Sachin continued his investment streak with tech-based start-up Smartron.

The company started out making products like smartphones and, after much success, has since moved on to smart homes. Further, he holds an impressive 10% stake in the sports merchandising and fashion retail startup Universal Sportsbiz.

No matter where his business ventures take him, Sachin diligently continues his giving streak, winning him the respect, admiration and adoration of millions everywhere.

During the recent Australian bushfires, Sachin even donated a generous US$16,000 to help victims rebuild their lives.

The joy continues as he represents UNICEF as Regional Goodwill Ambassador for South Asia, a long-term partnership which has spanned more than a decade, and involves himself with the Spreading Happiness InDiya Foundation project.

His list of charitable giving is seemingly unending, leaving the world left to wonder, how does this one man do it all? While there’s no straightforward answer, Sachin lets the world in on a small part of his secret: “I am not thinking too far ahead, I just want to take it one thing at a time.”

India’s cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar inaugurated a COVID-19 plasma therapy unit at a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday.

Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar on Wednesday inaugurated the plasma therapy unit for treating COVID-19 patients at Seven Hills Hospital in Andheri. An initiative of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the plasma therapy unit opens a new front in the battle against the novel coronavirus.

“We are facing an unprecedented challenge to our health in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rising to the occasion, our doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, the police, municipal and government staff are working tirelessly to deliver effective healthcare to all those affected by the virus,” Tendulkar was quoted as saying in the statement.

“Researchers around the globe are working to find an effective vaccine and treatment. In this, plasma therapy has emerged as an option to treat critically ill patients. I congratulate the BMC on starting this service that will save lives.

“I appeal to people who have recovered completely from COVID-19 to come forward and donate their blood for plasma therapy and help to save lives of patients who are critically ill,” he added.

The plasma therapy unit will offer convalescent plasma therapy to COVID-19 patients using donated blood plasma from recovered patients.

Plasma of a convalescent donor, who has recently recovered, contains high levels of antibodies against the pathogen that was the cause of the disease. When this convalescent plasma is transfused into another patient with the same disease, it provides the patient with an immediate immune response.

Convalescent plasma therapy has been successfully used in the treatment of other viral diseases in the past such as SARS, MERS, and H1N1 (swine flu). Plasma therapy works by reducing the viral load significantly. Clinical trials in India have shown promising result, thus giving a new weapon to doctors against the novel coronavirus and new hope to COVID-19 patients.

Over the last few months, a lot of research has been done to tackle this pandemic. From basic drugs to the latest antivirals, many treatment options are in place to treat COVID-19 patients.

The Seven Hills hospital in Mumbai has been at the forefront in treating COVID patients, and with able support from the government and the BMC, the hospital has delivered excellent medical service to these patients.

To date, the hospital has treated over 6,000 patients successfully, who have been discharged and have gone home fully recovered. Now with the new plasma therapy unit, more critically ill patients can be treated with this new therapy.

The lockdown had left many poor families, especially those living in the slums, face hardships. Owing to restricted movements, sole-bread earners of families have not been able to move for work.

Legendary Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar recently came forward to support a cause dedicated to ensure that essentials duly reached slum dwellers during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

The lockdown had left many poor families, especially those living in the slums, face hardships. Owing to restricted movements, sole-bread earners of families have not been able to move for work.

The Centre for the Study of Social Change (CSSC), an NGO located in Bandra East, left no stone unturned in ensuring that the 6,300 slum dwellers spread across 1,250 families in Bandra East were not left hungry and were given the required provisions on time.

An appeal to come forward and donate generously was made across various forums and amongst the donors was Tendulkar. The families were provided with boxes and each box contained rice, wheat flour, tur dal, sugar, tea powder, spices, salt, bathing and washing soap.

The CSSC team, led by its President SY Bhojraj, ensured that the boxes were duly handed over to the legitimate beneficiaries only. CSSC identified deprived families of H-East municipal ward through their health volunteers.

Bhojraj said: “The initiative was taken for families of daily wage earners, domestic helpers, hawkers and other needy persons. They were and are out of jobs with no salaries and did not have provisions to tide over this stressful period.”

“We would like to thank all those who came forward, including Sachin Tendulkar, who donated generously to the deprived and needy families,” he added.

Earlier in May, Tendulkar had provided financial aid to 4,000 underprivileged people, including children from Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

In April, the former Indian batsman had pledged to help around 5,000 people for a month in Shivaji Nagar and Govandi area of the city through an NGO named Apnalaya.

Before that, he had donated Rs 25 lakh each to the Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM-CARES Fund) and Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (Maharashtra) in his bid to join the fight against COVID-19.