I dream of an India that is more than hope : Tendulkar

[zubinpepsi]

Sachin Tendulkar October 02, 2007 First Published: 22:11 IST(2/10/2007) Last Updated: 10:37 IST(3/10/2007) Link My dreams began young. But I always planned on things one step at a time. I think, later, that made all the difference, between just imagining and realising that that imagination needed a focus. I began playing cricket because everyone around was into cricket. They did play other sports in our neighbourhood, badminton and hockey, volleyball; football was really popular when Mumbai’s monsoon was on, we would dance in the rain as we played the beautiful game, but yet, somehow, it never was quite cricket. Cricket was special. I think things began to change for me when I began understanding that there was more to cricket than picking up a bat and trying to take a wild swipe at everything that came its way. That was also when I began to dream. I was around 9 or 10 and, watching my brother and some older guys in the building play, I wanted to be like them, to play like them, with them. My imagination at that stage only took me to a place where I was intensely competitive, enough to be among the top batsmen in my group. If you did well, were lucky, you would get a prized invitation to play with the older boys and if that happened, your success and reputation in the peer group was assured. If I think that, in any way, I have been able to inspire generation next into imagining; into believing, hoping and dreaming that a future unknown might be possible, then that would be my contribution. If you're lucky enough to be blessed, it’s important to distribute those blessings too.So that’s what happened with me. I was 10 when I was called to play with people aged 20 or 22. And then, that year, India won the World Cup. Life was never the same again. For millions of us, young and restless and hopeful, that was the beginning of a special love story with a special game. Having said that, I think every game is special and India’s recent winning season across sports has been wonderful to watch and so very encouraging. I have watched, with pride and joy, as the hockey team has started to pick itself up; I have watched our footballers play with rejuvenated enthusiasm and dreams in their eyes; and have watched excitedly as people like world billiards champion Pankaj Advani, golfer Jeev Milkha Singh and tennis star Sania Mirza have made us proud. Most of all, I have followed, every inch a proud Indian, the ascent of Viswanathan Anand to the chess world championship crown over the weekend. In sport, we have several ups and downs, but being a sportsman of course, one doesn't like to lose. In fact, I think the only time I have intentionally allowed myself to relax in competition is against my children, because my wife tells me that you have to sometimes let your kids win. At the same time, I still don't allow them to win every time. They have a long way to go and I think it's important to reinforce the message, as subtly as possible to youngsters that you have to earn your stripes in life; that, the world might lie ahead but you need to work towards conquering that world. This is as much in life, as in sport, and, just to expand on this beyond the world I inhabit, I have put together my seven-point agenda, my dream for my India. Eradicating hunger I dream of an India where there is enough food for everyone, where nobody goes to sleep hungry. There are places in Mumbai where they regularly feed those who cannot otherwise afford food, and I think they do a very precious, vital job. Accessibility to clean drinking water I'm not talking just of water crises in metros but of those people who have to walk miles to get drinking water in remote areas in the great Indian interior. We need to find a way to make sure that if someone is thirsty, water is within easy reach. The right to shelter One of the things that strike you about the cities is the miles upon miles of suffering homeless, wrapped in ragged newspapers, on the streets of our megapolises. My future India will see a roof over every Indian's head; be an India that will have a home for everyone. Educated women My India would see an end to the discrimination against women that is prevalent in many places; an end to the evil of female infanticide. Educating our girls is a must; it is women who make families and influence generation next. We cannot be unfair to them. Access to healthcare I’ve read and seen enough about the lack of decent medical facilities across the country. We, as a people, need to make sure that anyone and everyone who needs a doctor is able to reach one and be helped. And be helped properly. The end of terror I am from Mumbai, where too many have fallen prey to terror attacks. People have suffered all over India, too many have lost near and dear ones. Somehow, somewhere, this needs to stop. Maybe that can only happen if we have a common dream, one of a better tomorrow. A more tolerant India Finally, when I look at my team-mates, people from different religions and socio-economic backgrounds who still bond like brothers, I wonder why that cannot be replicated across India. My final prayer, therefore, is for a tolerant India, where religious and other differences do not matter. I also think that's where people like me have a role to play by setting an example, because little things — gestures, moves, speech — it all matters. For instance, I've often been asked about what I felt about personal milestones, like breaking the world record for maximum hundreds, I always say it feels good but personally, I feel that if my doing this can inspire someone else, some kid watching me, to dream about going one step better, one step further, then that's what makes it worth the while. As a child, growing up, it's hugely important to have heroes, to have someone to idolise. I had my heroes while growing up, and I have them now. Idols and idealism If I think that, in any way, I have been able to inspire generation next into imagining; into believing, hoping and dreaming that a future unknown might be possible, then that would be my contribution. If you're lucky enough to be blessed, it's important to distribute those blessings too. I would like to imagine an India where Generation X is consistently raising the bar, where they believe that the impossible does not exist. My dream for India is the creation of a sporting system where no child believes that he or she has been hard done by. Between around 1975, the time of the first World Cup, and now, Indian sport has taken huge steps; it has moved from the metropolises into the small towns, there has been a huge social change that is both heartening and welcome. Yet, there is still work to be done, more remote places to be brought into the fold, not in a haphazard manner though, but in an organised fashion. It's not just about handing someone a racquet or a cricket bat and a rubber ball but also about teaching them the intricacies of sport, of inculcating in them a sense of achievement and inspiring in them the belief and the will to succeed. There have to be proper facilities, accessibility to sport for people with hitherto no access… in the years ahead, if we can manage that, we will definitely move forward. I also want to imagine an India as a land of equal sporting opportunity and choice, one where people honestly believe that sport can give them a better shot at life. No one should have the option of saying that he didn't get a chance, he or she should only be able to say that 'look, I got a chance, but I wasn't quite good enough to make it'. If we can get sport to that level, a place where there are no excuses, tomorrow would be a far better place to be. (The author, Sachin Tendulkar, is history’s most prolific batsman and a living legend) -------------------- Very Nice Article... impressed by the next APJ Kalam. WTG:two_thumbs_up:

[bharat297]

I am a sachin fan ... but shouldnt he be more worried about the aussies atm Well written ... but a few million from Sachin would certainly help with some of these issues

[Chandan]

I'll never agree that Sachin has written this personally. It is the work of a ghost writer in all probabilities. But a good article nonetheless!!

[Chandan]

Here is another article from Sachin Tendulkar that has come out in HT today: 'The little steps matter' Sachin Tendulkar, Hindustan Times October 03, 2007 First Published: 00:18 IST(3/10/2007) Last Updated: 18:31 IST(3/10/2007) I would never have become a serious cricketer had I not been a problem child. I was extremely difficult to manage and had seriously high energy levels that would invariably get me into trouble. At that stage, my brother thought that summer camp could be the making of me — it would give me no time for pranks or mischief. Somehow, the idea worked and those eight hours I spent on the field everyday changed my attitude towards life. I became very serious about the game —it was a single-minded focus where nothing else mattered. The other thing that really helped me was having my coach insist that I play practice matches constantly. This is something I feel was crucial as it gave me an edge later in my career — it made me intensely competitive. You can practice for hours but it can never be the same as being in the middle, protecting your wicket or trying to get one. Consequently, it was never just “nets” for me. In fact, when I would head to practice straight from school, my coach would often tell the opposition that Sachin will come in and bat at No. 4. On my part, if I got out first ball, my practice was over. It meant I had to focus every ball and later, this made dealing with match situations much easier. Little drops of water… Why I’m detailing this really, is because I want to point out that every little step towards success, towards the attainment of a dream, in my case, towards playing a higher level of cricket, counts. I think, often, people dream big but gloss over the process involved in realising that dream. I honestly believe that we need to focus on smaller targets that stack up towards that final goal. I would badger my brother every time I played a game, scored a hundred, did something special: “What next?” I wanted to compete, needed to compete, to push myself even then. It’s really funny when I look back now, but then, as a 12-year-old, even though I knew I wanted to play for India, I didn’t know how one got there. I was clueless about the Ranji, and Duleep or anything. In my little world, I had some vague idea of things — you played well at Mumbai’s club games and were magically transported to playing for India. And then, it happened. I started doing well at those games and found myself suddenly in state contention, rubbing shoulders with men I’d only seen on television. Dilip Vengsarkar, Ravi Shastri, Lalchand Rajput… many more. My being there with them first gave me the confidence to believe in my own ability and then, that season, when I became the highest run-getter for Mumbai despite the presence of several stars, it became more special. It gave me the confidence to know I wasn’t out of place. I belonged here. The power of the mind And then, suddenly, it was all happening. The centuries in my Ranji, Duleep and Irani debuts took me to Pakistan and a whole different world. Pakistan was a unique experience, one in retrospect, I was too young to fully fathom at 16. I was just so excited to be part of the Indian team. But even then, cricket-wise, I was very focussed on being there, knowing that once I was there, I had to stay there. This is where my years of preparation and early training in visualisation, a concept introduced to me by my brother, helped infinitely. It wasn’t something that I was formally trained or told about specifically but even during school games, I used to prepare by letting my imagination take over. I would imagine situations, plan out things, try and get into the opposition’s head. Somewhere, in those early years, I had begun training my subconscious mind. I’ve always believed in the power of the mind, it goes way beyond imagination, in its ability to push itself beyond what you might think is its limit, in its ability to readjust, realign and refocus. It is something incredible, the mind, and if you focus, there is no limit to one’s imagination and what the mind can accomplish. I’ve tried to bring that power of the mind to my game. For instance, when I walk into the middle, it is my fourth or fifth walk, as I have already done so several times in my head. It gives one an edge. The importance of being grounded Coming back to what happened, playing for India was obviously my dream. And once I was in, that was one dream realised. The next one was staying put there. Thereafter, once I had a reputation, it was all about living up to that. I lined up targets, one at a time. I competed with myself to achieve and better them. For instance, if I made 300 in one series, I would tell myself I had to better that in the next. I had to push those boundaries, stay competitive, all the time. The hunger and the desire to get there, do that, was always there. At no stage did I let myself relax, say I’d already done so much, think I could afford to let things be. I could not, that was not me. What really helped immensely was the support I received from my family, my coach… no one got carried away by my success, so neither did I. There were no big celebrations in my house if I did something, it was accepted as normal. Like when I got back after making my first hundred in England, all I did was have some friends over for a meal and chat about it. Our little ritual centred around seeking blessings from God, so 100 times out of 100, that’s all I would do, seek blessings. And focus. Even later, whenever I did something, my brother, who has really been the driving force behind my cricket, would never tell me it was exceptional or brilliant. He would more likely point out that say, ‘in the 29th over, fourth ball, you didn’t quite play that shot correctly’. MY FATHER'S SON I think I was blessed in my family, because they allowed me to choose and follow my dream, they supported me, yet, did not overwhelm me. My father for instance, played a huge role in ensuring I stayed focussed on cricket. I was never forced to do the more conventional things, to try and concentrate on being a doctor or engineer. He sat me down a long time ago and we talked, he told me that if I was serious about wanting to play for India, I should go for it, said that if you dream, then dream properly, go after that dream, believe in it and yourself and concentrate on realising it. That freedom to choose allowed me to focus my energy in one direction. I think for a lot of kids, that energy is divided, either because of a lack of choices or a lack of support when you make those choices. If that happens, then your focus obviously cannot be single-minded and it takes away from your effort. To succeed, you need no detractions, no distractions. As a student of sport, I always tell people, you also have to figure out what works best for you. Often, it is sheer instinct; a basic feeling in your gut that tells you this is what you have to do. I can’t explain this logically, there’s no rational explanation or technique involved here but ever so often, a movement, a glance, an angle, something just triggers a feeling and sends out a subconscious signal — it happens often between bowlers and batsmen and it comes with and, is developed by, dogged, determined concentration. Nothing else.

[zubinpepsi]

I'll never agree that Sachin has written this personally. It is the work of a ghost writer in all probabilities. But a good article nonetheless!!

yeah agreed.. never tot Sachin wud b writing such stuffs.. I was more impressed with the content.... Mods: a request. Can you pls change the title to I dream of an India that is more than hope : Sachin Tendulkar I forgot to add his name. pls change it. Thanks

[yoda]

what bakwas is this? eradicate hunger, access to healthcare... how revolutionary.

[Chandan]

Could these be scoops from autobiography? If that is so, how did HT get hold of those articles?? And you HAVE to question the timing of the articles. If HT had it, why could they not publish it straight after the independence day? Something is very wierd here!!

[gs]

Is SRT associated with any charity organizations? If not, just mouthing platitudes is not going to make any difference. Like Bharat297 mentioned, sparing a few millions to these humanitarian/charity causes would certainly help.

[Guest dada_rocks]

He does and likes to keep it personal keeping in line hindu philosphy. If right hand does charity left hand should not get even an inkling of the same.

[varun]

He does and likes to keep it personal keeping in line hindu philosphy. If right hand does charity left hand should not get even an inkling of the same.

aapko kaise inkling ho gayi phir ki he does charity ? :P

[Bumper]

aapko kaise inkling ho gayi phir ki he does charity ? :P

DR is Tendu's left hand:tounge_smile:

[coffee_rules]

DR is Tendu's left hand:tounge_smile:

By that logic, since he's got an inkling of the charity work, he is not Tendulkar's left hand.

[yoda]

so, DR has to be tendu's...:D

[Gambit]

Thanks for posting zubin. Both articles were good reads. The article about today's generation and his vision of India over the next few years was pretty straight from the heart stuff. Well written Sachin.

[Rahul Khan]

whats the result...is this written by Sachin or not?

[Holysmoke]

Leadership to me is about managing people, working with them and working for them, getting them to work best in the manner they know best, not coercing them into doing something you think is best. There’s a fine line of course. A leader has to be someone who should be able to make decisions — sometimes, tough ones — and yet, he has got to be flexible too. Sometimes, you have got to put your foot down and say, ‘this is what I want; this is how I want it’. At other times, you have got to ask yourself, if I put my foot down here, will it really help my team? You have got to take everything on board as a leader, make decisions based on the situation at hand, without baggage from anywhere else. It’s like deciding which player to send in. You have to be convinced that that player is in the right frame of mind to get in there --- every person who walks in has got to believe that he is the best person for that job in the world at that point of time. Often though, that state of mind (of a player) is achieved with a little help, a little mentoring, from the captain. A skipper has to inspire, to lead by example. He cannot walk away from challenges or say it is all too much. When a captain is prepared to accept challenges, to pick up the gauntlet, invariably, the team will too. They will believe they can. The pace you set matters immeasurably — this is something I have learnt with time and experience. I think leadership is also about how you keep your team together at all times, how you back them, believe in them, get them to believe in each other. When the players in a team learn to enjoy each others’ successes, it makes a huge difference to everything. That atmosphere, this happiness, can be a vital edge in a crunch situation, when each person knows that whatever happens, he will be backed up, that he is not alone, he is part of a unit. In the end, that’s what makes a difference, spirit and team spirit. -SRT

[THX_1138]

i have it on good information that when he visits putaparthi (i believe the mainstay of satyasai baba), he does considerable charity and maintains a very low profile. i am quite convinced that a number of indian cricketers engage in charity (anil kumble and rahul dravid apart from tendulkar), yet prefer to keep a low profile to desuade unwarranted publicity.

[Rahul Khan]

Leadership to me is about managing people, working with them and working for them, getting them to work best in the manner they know best, not coercing them into doing something you think is best. There’s a fine line of course. A leader has to be someone who should be able to make decisions — sometimes, tough ones — and yet, he has got to be flexible too. Sometimes, you have got to put your foot down and say, ‘this is what I want; this is how I want it’. At other times, you have got to ask yourself, if I put my foot down here, will it really help my team? You have got to take everything on board as a leader, make decisions based on the situation at hand, without baggage from anywhere else. It’s like deciding which player to send in. You have to be convinced that that player is in the right frame of mind to get in there --- every person who walks in has got to believe that he is the best person for that job in the world at that point of time. Often though, that state of mind (of a player) is achieved with a little help, a little mentoring, from the captain. A skipper has to inspire, to lead by example. He cannot walk away from challenges or say it is all too much. When a captain is prepared to accept challenges, to pick up the gauntlet, invariably, the team will too. They will believe they can. The pace you set matters immeasurably — this is something I have learnt with time and experience. I think leadership is also about how you keep your team together at all times, how you back them, believe in them, get them to believe in each other. When the players in a team learn to enjoy each others’ successes, it makes a huge difference to everything. That atmosphere, this happiness, can be a vital edge in a crunch situation, when each person knows that whatever happens, he will be backed up, that he is not alone, he is part of a unit. In the end, that’s what makes a difference, spirit and team spirit. -SRT

I salute to this definition of a Leader... who wrote this one?

[Holysmoke]

I salute to this definition of a Leader... who wrote this one?

SRT

[Rahul Khan]

SRT

you mean Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar???