Published: Dec 29, 2017, 02:34 PM (IST)
Edited: Dec 29, 2017, 02:34 PM (IST)
Although he was denied speaking in Rajya Sabha, Sachin Tendulkar resorted to social media to spread awareness on importance of sports and fitness in daily life. In his video, Tendulkar also said the government needs to sketch out proper plan and structure to become a sporting nation. Now, Tendulkar wishes to make sports a mandatory subject in every school in India. As a first step, Tendulkar is presenting every MP a booklet that includes inspiring stories of 20 sporting legends of India.
The 55-page booklet called ‘Unforgettable sporting heroes and legends of India’ includes stories of Dhyan Chand, Prakash Padukone, Ajit Wadekar, Mary Kom, Milkha Singh and likes. The Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu and HRD Ministry were given a booklet on December 21 when Tendulkar was denied giving a speech in the Rajya Sabha.
In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, Tendulkar spoke in detail about the booklet and making sports mandatory in schools.
“India will become an economically stronger nation by 2030”
“We can have at least 500 such inspirational stories. If the next generation gets encouraged and plays sport, India will become an economically stronger nation by 2030. The HRD and sports ministries are working on this already. It’s my dream to see sports being treated on a par with physics, maths or history. It’s my endeavour to change the mindset, and if we can build a healthy generation, we would have saved India from an economic disaster.”
“If children take up sport in school, they would have given me the greatest gift”
“Many of my fans are now young parents. If they get motivated by the stories of our old heroes and ask their children to take up a sport in school, they would have given me my greatest gift. It’s like scoring a dream hundred again. As a cricketer I had always set lofty benchmarks. If parents and schools love their kids, then sport should be their second religion. I am just trying to make them aware.”
