Thursday, November 28, 2013

TARUN TEJPAL - THE NEW CELEBRITY - WE ARE ALL THE RULE - TARUN NOT AN EXCEPTION - AND WHY?

TARUN TEJPAL

THE NEW CELEBRITY


Suddenly, Tarun Tejpal, of Tehelka, is Big news. All because, he touched a Girl here and there. On the same day and perhaps at the same time, there were Murders, rapes, Gang rapes etc – all over India. But, the touching of a Girl by Tarun Tejpal is the only Big News that India is interested in.

Indian Media, at least, several sections of it, since Generalization is always wrong, is deeply obsessed with sensationalism. Tarun Tejpal should not have done whatever he did to the Girl. That is Fundamental. That is settled.

He says it is consensual. She says, it is not. No one has seen what on earth really happened. Whatever has happened – inside that goddamn LIFT without CCTVs – will forever be subject to media speculation. On coming out, he wiped his sweat and she adjusted her dress. That’s Big News. Did she raise a FURORE ON COMING OUT OF LIFT? No, She didn’t. If something Big had happened, she should have. She chose what she thought was best. She told his daughter, who is her friend. Somehow, the private matter became public and now Tarun is fleeing and media is hounding. The 2 families perhaps would have dealt with it effectively and privately – probably. That would have been more than enough punishment for Tarun too.

How much did the Girl suffer then, thereafter? How much did Tarun suffer then, therafter and how much will he suffer now and in future. Every crime needs a Punishment, which is Just and Proportionate- and most importantly, reformative. The publicity and the media hype has already made it grossly disproportionate and non-reformative. No one can justify what Tarun has done. It is condemnable. But, how much?

India is not taking real measures – to stop eve-teasing and related offenses.  Eve teasing is still on Buses and trains. Police response is casual and sickening. That should change in a drastic way. That can happen only with reforming our Education system, which today, stands devoid of all character building content – thanks to our so called secularism.

But, We are sensationalizing every trivial thing that happens. Unfortunately trivial things only get sensationalized. What about the rapes and gang rapes which happened on the same day, its previous and subsequent days? No Media cared! Why? One Nirbhaya case was enough? The Girl in Tarun’s case was sensible enough – to tell his daughter – and the two were dealing with him effectively – as far as I can understand. But, once the Media steps in – you will never know what is truth, what is rumour and what is gossip. This is not the way western media deals with News. 

There needs to be some sense of proportion. Is Tarun’s touchy news more important than elections to the assemblies, the UMPP planned at Tamilnadu, or even the news that 4 teachers in a Puducherry Govt High school were accused of forcing girl students to watch pornographic content on school computers and sexually molesting them? Our Obsession with sex and violence is too, too much. One Tarun is not an exception. We are all the rule. And thanks to the TV channels beaming sexy content all the time. Women are also contributory factors to all this mess – as much as men.

Some Media men usually deal with news as they should  - but, even they have to play for TRP ratings and sensationalize when many others are walking away with better TRP ratings.  And TRP ratings seem to reflect what we all fall for. We all want sensational news, or news sensationalized News - not real, important news.

On sexual harassment side also, there are far worse news than that of Tarun Tejpal. So, why this Obsession with Tarun? Allow the Lady to deal with the problem in the way she thinks best. And, that probably would be the Best way. The Media trial and sensationalism is the worst possible way in such cases. If she complains – to Media, then there would be some meaning. Not otherwise. Ditto is the case with the Gujarat lady. All congress ladies marched to President’s Place to submit memorandum. Fine. Did they or any one know the real, full facts and did they present only facts and not rumour and gossip? What if, all BJP ladies go and submit another memorandum doing the opposite? Is this Politicking not sickening?

Sensitiveness is gone and sensationalism is in.

There are very few saner voices around.

But, this is probably another manifestation of the sexism and harassing tendencies in many, many  of us.


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Monday, November 18, 2013

NEWS TODAY - RIL IS SHY OF OIL & GAS - INFRA PROJECTS NO PROGRESS - PAK TV AIRS INDIAN CONTENT - TATA MOTORS INDIAN BUSINESS WHAT IS WRONG - CHINESE BALLOONS EVERYWHERE - PROTECTING SHOWS, MODI IS PM MATERIAL

NEWS TODAY


RIL BOARD  BACKS TELECOM, WARY OF OIL & GAS

RIL feels it has sunk too much money in oil and gas but the returns are shrinking. The oil and Gas below the earth are shrinking for some reason and Government is not being an understanding partner. Therefore, at RIL, the future belongs more to Telecom and to Petrochemicals - not to oil and gas production.

This is bound to be so. Government Of India must understand its priorities and encourage efficient private players to come out of their Blues and go energetically for oil and Gas exploration. The onus is the Government. But, Babus at the helm and other powers that be are not seen to be understanding the problems involved in Oil and gas exploration, but doubting the Company's claims a little too much. So, investments in oil and gas are to come down. The one left out is CAIRN now. I feel, Government should give both RIL and CAIRN a free hand to explore and FIND our oil and Gas reserves first. Any quarrels on sharing can come later. That much encouragement is not forthcoming from government and therefore, the country's energy effort is languishing.


PET INFRA PROJECTS PENDING,GOVT LIKELY TO MISS TARGET :

There is hardly any progress in 5 out of 9 projects identified by Planning commission  in consultation with PMO. Most of these projects are unlikely to happen this year, though slated for it initially.Well. the easiest thing should be to clear the projects and targets from your tables - and allow the nitty gitty to be worked out by people down below.Now, if something is not happening according to target, someone in government must be asking why, get the answer and sort out the difficulties. Project Management is not an art any more. It is a precise science. You can anticipate up to 99 percent of the problems and sort them out well in advance - or soon after their discovery. But, in India, trains move, planes move(even with open doors), but not files.

PAK TV CHANNELS FINED FOR INDIAN CONTENT :

Indian TV channels do not air PAK CONTENT. Had they done it, we all would have shut our TV channels any way. Our children would be studying their books better and passed exams with more Marks. But, if Pak does not show Indian content, how will Pakistanis ever know, that India does not bother much about Pak , as Pak bothers about India and bothers India. India wakes up to Pakistan, only when it bothers India - almost always in a negative way. If an Odd singer or so chooses to come to India and sing of Pakistan, Shiv Sena is there to protest and block. So, all Pak content goes off the air.

AT TATA MOTORS, INDIAN BUSINESS GOES FROM BAD TO WORSE :

TATA Motors' Indian Business is in a mess. I think, unnecessarily so. 

TATA Motors is said to be launching new Models. new, modern car platforms in 2015 to enable faster and cheaper new models, not just variants of existing ones. It also states that it is making and emergency markets push - into Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia  and expanded in South Aftica and Thailand.

But, none of these explain why TATA MOTORS is failing in India. KARL SLYM  may be right about the New car platform to come in 2015.  But, that does not explain why he is not selling existing products more aggressively and competing with the likes of Maruti. Karl Slym has to find out why the car buyers in India are preferring other Models over  TATA models. It may be a small slip that TATA may be overlooking - like, the finishing touch in interiors and exteriors. Probably Nothing more than that.


AND, NOW CHINA PRICKS INDIA'S BALLOON ECONOMY :

India's balloon makers are folding up. Thanks to extravagant taxes on inputs and low priced imported Chinese Balloons. Can't we compete with the Chinese even in Balloon making and selling.  Government must be knowing - but, if it doesn't, at least it should act when Media tells it. Here is a sector which is folding up due to Government apathy. Is Government listening? Act fast and save Indian Balloons. Probably lakhs of Indian employment and crores of Indian investment is going up in the air with the Chinese balloons. 

There are many other sectors where cheap Chinese Imports are hurting Indian employment and Indian Investment. Government must act to save these - the Indian employment and Indian investment. If a skill upgradation and Technology upgradation is needed, that also must take place. Ideally, I would prefer Government reversing the trend in 2 years - seeing Indian Balloons dominating all over the world. You need High Goals - to achieve them. If you don't have High Goals - You have no goals.

PROTECTING - IS STALKING?

A Father asked his family friend, who happens to be the CM, to take care of his daughter. he has some fatherly apprehensions. The CM may have told the HM  the same thing - to adequately protect and see no harm comes to the woman, who is like a daughter to him. Any father will do it.Any one who feels like a father will do it too.

But there is a difference between Modi's administration and others. If Modi says, the administrative machinery moves, and ensures what he wants. Not so with Dr.Manmohan Singh, whom I do respect, for his astuteness and goodness. But, no one moves when Dr.Singh asks or orders. You can see another news item how projects are pending. In Modi's land, that is not the way things happen. from Constable to the top, upto HM level all have risen to the task - and have ensured her protection, without any irksomeness to the lady in question. that is how, a Government should run. I find Just nothing wrong in it. I find everything wrong in no one listening to Dr.Singh and failing him all the way.

Now, some web sites do the snooping at all levels, get some half baked material and put it viral. Some Politicos and some media start discussing how the woman's rights are enraged. Had she been really harmed what would the same Politicos and Media would have said? If Modi does a thing or doesn't do it, either way, these worthies will criticize him. But, if Mr. Singh fails to get all projects off the ground and nation is suffering - there is no problem for these worthies.

But, that is beside the point. Neither the father nor the daughter are complaining. The politicos field all women to - finally drag the woman out of her privacy and probably abuse all of them. The first right of that woman, I agree, is her PRIVACY. None in Modi government have harmed her privacy. They have protected her from - problems the father knows. Probably, problems, which the daughter also understands now. Young Women do not understand such problems immediately - as all fathers know. Allow fathers to take care of their daughters. You are only trying to defame both of them.

If whole establishment moved with one word of Modi - and he may not be knowing all the nitty gritty, it show very clearly, MODI IS PRIME MINISTERIAL MATERIAL. 

He achieves. Make Dr. Singh also like that. We will like him then. We want achievers. By the way, I think, Modi or shah are not the stalkers - but his detractors surely are becoming so.

Now, I have a premonition. Knowingly or unknowingly, this obscure woman is becoming a Politician. If BJP puts her up as an MP candidate against her detractors, she doesn't national or state or local issues to win. This stalking now going on by Modi's detractors is enough to make her an MP with a land slide majority. All sympathy will be with her. Naturally.

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BHARAT RATNA - TOP HONOURS - BUT, DOES IT FOLLOW ADEQUATE PROCEDURE?


We are all Happy that Sachin is being conferred the BHARAT RATNA. He deserves it richly. I have no doubt about it. So does Shri C.N.R.Rao.

But, many people are aggrieved that Shri Dhyan Chand and Shri A.B.Vajpayee are not given Bharat Ratna. Their contentions cannot be faulted.

The award of any Great honour on any Individual must be preceded by adequate procedure, verification of competing claims, selection of the best, ensuring some sort of National Consensus, taking the Opposition Parties along - among various important criteria.

People from Glamourous walks of life are often preferred for such awards - to the exclusion of people who are doing yeoman services to the people of India, silently. The recent revelation that the previous awardees have recommended many of their own kith and kin for the Padma awards shows that much is wanting in terms of TRANSPARENCY in the selection of eligible persons for these TOP HONOURS of the country - which will tend to make them worthless, in course of time, in the eyes of the General masses. Are there none among Indians - other than these recommended people - who are better than the recommended people? Who is scanning the whole landscape for this?

One curious criterion for the award seems to be that the - awardee must not have criticized the Government or its Policies. Is this a final, clinching criteria, above all others? C.N.R.Rao and Lataji may make small criticism - but only after the award. Such feeling must be avoided and complete Transparency must be introduced in the selection.

Let us take an example : Here are the awards received by Shri Amitabh Bacchan (Source :wikipedia etc ) here :


France's highest civilian honour, the Knight of the Legion of Honour, was conferred upon him by the French Government in 2007 for his "exceptional career in the world of cinema and beyond".
In 2011, actor Dilip Kumar blogged that Black should have been nominated for an Oscar. Kumar added: "If any Indian actor, in my personal opinion, deserves the world's most coveted award, it is you." 

  • In 1999, Bachchan was voted the "Greatest Star of stage or screen of the Millennium" in a BBC Your Millennium online poll.
  • In 2001, he was honoured with the Actor of the Century award at the Alexandria International Film Festival in Egypt in recognition of his contribution to the world of cinema.
  • Many other honours for his achievements were conferred upon him at several International Film Festivals, including the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2010 Asian Film Awards.
  • In 2003, he was conferred with the Honorary Citizenship of the French town of Deauville.
  • In October 2003, he was conferred with the Medal of Honour of Morocco, given to him by King Mohammed at the Marrakech International Film Festival.
  • In October 2003, TIME magazine dubbed Bachchan as "the Undisputed Godfather of Bollywood".
  • In April 2005, The Walter Reade Theater of Lincoln Center in New York honored Amitabh Bachchan with a special tribute, retrospective—titled "Amitabh Bachchan: The Biggest Film Star in the World".
  • In March 2010, he has been named the list of CNN's "top 25 Asian actors of all time".
  • In June 2000, he became the first living Asian to have been modelled in wax at London's Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.
  • Another statue was installed in New York in 2009, Hong Kong in 2011, Bangkok in 2011 and Washington, DC in 2012.
  • These apart, I find that Amitabh Bachchan has been honoured with the Global Diversity Award 2013 at the State Room of Britain's House of Commons in London. Speaker of the House of Commons, Rt Hon John Bercow MP presented the ornately sculpted glass Award to the 71-year-old actor describing him as "a Bollywood icon and the most famous Indian film star of all time."

These are apart from all the filmy awards in India.

Of course,the Government of India awarded him the Padma Shri in 1984 and the Padma Bhushan in 2001.  Between 2001 to 2013 - long period with so many great achievements by the actor - the actor did not come up for any further Higher awards from the Government Of India. For some reason, he is not (yet) found fit for Padma Vibhushan, leave aside, Bharat Ratna. If you don't find the Greatest ACTOR, acknowledged so by the world in general, for even Padma Vibhushan, it looks a little strange.


This is nothing. There are others like Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev and Sri Sri Ravishankar, who are creating peace, who are revolutionizing Education, who are stewards of Green revolution in a very Big way. There is also Baba Ramdev, who has created a revolution in India with his Yog and Ayurved. I am a direct beneficiary of his Yog and Ayurved both. I practice both - and can confirm to anyone who is willing to listen that his methods and medicines work. Forget his Political affiliations. See his work and service to the Nation.

If you forget that they also preach spirituality - you will find  that they have already rendered extraordinary service to the people around them - irrespective of caste or creed - and the beneficiaries run into crores of people. 

Why do you think, crores of young and old Indians, educated and uneducated both, are flocking to them. They give them peace, solace, progress, education and many things which the average Politician can, unfortunately, not even comprehend. Until you taste the reality that they can unravel before you, you will never know the unreality in which you are living. Who else deserves Bharat Ratnas better than these Greats, who are transforming crores of lives to the better in many, many ways.

But, how will the Babus and the Politicians sitting in Delhi and judging people for these awards - even understand their impact on the social life around them.

Can we imagine that persons who do not even possess a Padma Sri are the ones who are judging who should be Bharat Ratna or Padma Vibhushan - and worse, judging people as unfit for Padma vibhushan and other Padma awards, despite their glorious contribution.

I am not blaming or ridiculing the awards given so far. Definitely Not so. I am not blaming the current panels also. Anything can be bettered. Therefore, I am stating that there is huge need to make the Panels much better qualified for Judging people of such High standards.

Future awards can be more meticulous and Transparent than at present. They must involve Opposition parties, persons from different walks of life etc - apart from babus and Ministers. Rather - exclude Babus and Ministers from the Panel. Make it a Highly distinguished panel.

I personally feel - those who are serving the Poor and the suffering in a Big way - must come first in the list of Padma awards. People from other walks of life must come thereafter. Recognize the Real Heroes of India - who are transforming lives. Then, recognize people in all other walks of life. This should be the PRIORITY.

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Saturday, November 16, 2013

SACHIN TENDULKAR - Hats off to you, God of Cricket! You too are retiring. What a Life! = WHAT NEXT?




SACHIN  TENDULKAR


SACHIN TENDULKAR – in many ways – is ONE IN A BILLION. He is my favorite cricketer, just as, he is YOURS. Today, he is on every TV screen for so many hours, in place of movies, episodes, news and all other programs – for an unpalatable reason. He is signing off from CRICKET and  that is not a heart-warming reason for any one of us.

But that is how life is. We all retire from our professions some time or other. Sachin’s retirement is of course, tremendously special, because, a billion pair of eyes are watching him sign off from Test cricket. Perhaps much more than a Billion, if we include  spectators from all other cricket loving nations. Are Sri Lankans watching CHGM or SACHIN – it will be interesting to find out.

If you hadn’t sees SACHIN with TEARY EYES all these years, today was the day to catch him with teary eyes. 

Which were his best Partnerships in cricket - I don’t know. But, his Best partnership, as Sachin confirmed today, was / is with Anjali, his lifelong partner and wife. And, today, you could catch her with teary eyes too. That’s not all. You could see tears in the eyes of many young boys and many not-so-young BOYS AND ELDERS too.

He had always made people hilarious and made them go into raptures with his batting (and at times) bowling miracles. Today, he made people sad and teary–eyed, after making 74 runs at the crease. He walked back after those 74 runs. And, it was HISTORY.

I don't feel there is any need for me to recall any of his Greatest feats. I am anyway sure - he is the greatest Cricketer of this Generation. 

As I see from Wikipedia and other web sites - he was born on 24 April 1973; started his cricketing at the age of eleven; made his  test debut against Pakistan at the age of sixteen; was the first player to score one hundred International Centuries;  was the first player to score a double century in a  one day International; thus far the only one to complete 34,000 runs in international cricket; now quitting test cricket - after 200 tests ; Cricket Pundits can perhaps reel out many, many more Great achievements of Sachin Tendulkar – with greater accuracy and uptodate statistics. Unfortunately for them, there will be no more UPDATES. 

For me, what I Know of Sachin is enough indicator of his Greatness in Cricket and his greatness as a human being too. He undoubtedly is the most famous cricket legend from India – and perhaps from the world – for these 24 years that he has been around in cricket.

As is inherent in any such great sport -  money, riches and Fame also came to him naturally. He was the icon sought after by Ad Agencies for many products - Like Band-aid of Johnson and Johnson, Boost, Gillette, Action shoes, Pepsi, worldTel, Visa, Philips, MRF tyres, Adidas, Colgate Total  and so on, as I find from some of the web sites. There may be more and some of these here may be insignificant ones.

It is not that, he was beyond criticism in his life. He was criticized by many on occasions; like - when he requested for a Customs duty waiver on his Ferrari, which was gifted to him by auto major Fiat, or when he made a request to the Maharashtra Government to grant him extra Floor Space Index to set up a gymnasium at his plush house. But, in my view, these are trifles and small stuff.

He was bitterly criticized when he failed with his bat for long periods – on the  cricket ground. People cried for his blood. People said – he was more interested in his own statistics – not in his country’s winning.  Sometimes, even his cricketer colleagues had said that it was time he retired. But, all these happen, in any sportsman’s career. He can’t always be hitting centuries or Half Centuries.
A cricketer in his blues can hit plain Ducks, incredible zeroes, when people are expecting a century or a double century to shore up his Country’s image. Times are not always with anyone. 

But then, people expected centuries only from him – not even from Captain Dhoni, not also from any other recognized batsman in the team. Only Sachin was expected to hit centuries – and not hitting one – was regarded as an unpardonable sin. It is all part of the Love-Hate game with the Fans.

Any mad love is bound to have elements of hate embedded within. But, the hate is still love. Had Sachin quit then, the fans would have been madder.

Now, let us see the recognition that he got - for these achievements. 

Sachin was honoured with Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian award, and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, India's highest sporting honour. Tendulkar won the 2010 Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for cricketer of the year at the ICC awards. In 2012, Tendulkar was nominated to Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Parliament of India. He was also the first sportsperson and the first one without aviation background to be awarded the honorary rank of Group Captain by the Indian Air Force. In 2012, he was named as an Honorary Member of the Order of Australia

I think, more and more honors will get heaped on Sachin - now that he is quitting the Test cricket.

Many call him God of Cricket. it is their love for him. For those who have nothing to do with cricket in the world, what does he mean to them? I don't know.

There is talk that he may be given Bharat Ratna. Does he deserve the award. He does. But, there is still time for it. Forget for a moment what India got from Sachin Tendulkar. Sachin Tendulkar also got much more from India.

So what? – readers  will ask. I have a strong request to make to Sachin. Think of Bill Gates. Think of Warren Buffet. Think of our very own Wipro chairman, Azim Premji. Think of Ratan TATA. They too earned. They too made equally great and permanent miracles, in their respective spheres. But now, they are sharing what people gave them – their riches, their compassion, their time, their heart - with the poorest, the suffering people of the world. 

Now, is your opportunity, Sachin. For all that I know of your humane nature, you may already be doing something in that direction. For doing some service to cricket, you will of course be the natural choice. But, for doing something to the poor and suffering people of India, You will have to choose yourself. Nobody else will do it for you. When you will choose yourself for the service of the poorest and the suffering, You will realize that you are REALLY THE GOD ON EARTH. After all, LOVE is God. Compassion is God. I wish you a long, long life, in the service of Humanity.

Yours
(V.VIJAYAMOHAN) 

NOW A FEW GREAT QUOTES ON SACHIN

“When Sachin Tendulkar traveled to Pakistan to face one of the finest bowling attacks ever assembled in cricket; Michael Schumacher was yet to race a F1 car, Lance Armstrong had never been to the Tour de France, Diego Maradona was still the captain of a world champion Argentina team, Pete Sampras had never won a Grand Slam.
    When Tendulkar embarked on a glorious career taming Imran and company, Roger Federer was a name unheard of; Lionel Messi was in his nappies, Usain Bolt was an unknown kid in the Jamaican backwaters. The Berlin Wall was still intact, USSR was one big, big country, Dr Manmohan Singh was yet to “open” the Nehruvian economy. It seems while Time was having his toll on every individual on the face of this planet, he excused one man. Time stands frozen in front of Sachin Tendulkar. We have had champions, we have had legends, but we have never had another Sachin Tendulkar and we never will.”      =  Time magazine
Beneath the helmet, under that unruly curly hair, inside the cranium, there is something we don't know, something beyond scientific measure. Something that allows him to soar, to roam a territory of sport that, forget us, even those who are gifted enough to play alongside him cannot even fathom. When he goes out to bat, people switch on their TV sets and switch off their lives.  =  BBC
The joy he brings to the millions of his countrymen, the grace with which he handles all the adulation and the expectations and his innate humility - all make for a one-in-a-billion individual. =  Glenn McGrath
I'd like to see him go out one day and bat with a stump. I tell you he'd do OK…. I just get the feeling because of his mental strength that Sachin will be definitely the best player of his era and probably the best 2-3 of all time.  =  Greg Chappell
I had to remind Gary Kristen often that he was in the covers to field against Sachin not to applaud him. =  Hansie Cronje
We did not lose to a team called India... we lost to a man called Sachin.  =  Mark Taylor, during test match in Chennai (1998)
Sachin was so focused. He never looked like getting out. He was batting with single-minded devotion. It was truly remarkable. It was a lesson.  =  Martina Navratilova - Tennis legend
On a train from Shimla to Delhi, there was a halt in one of the stations. The train stopped by for few minutes as usual. Sachin was nearing century, batting on 98. The passengers, railway officials, everyone on the train waited for Sachin to complete the century. This genius can stop time in India!  =  Peter Roebuck, Aussie journalist
The last time I watched Sachin was last week when he was on his way to a spectacular 175 and once again I felt that I was watching a player who comes but once in a century. It can be said that he is the Bradman of our times and I do feel privileged to have played a lot of cricket against him,”  =  Steve Waugh
He can play that leg glance with a walking stick also. =  Waqar Younis
I have delayed my shoots many times to watch Sachin bat = Amitabh Bachchan
There are 2 kind of batsmen in the world. One Sachin Tendulkar. Two all the others.  =  Andy Flower
Sir Don Bradman: "I saw him playing on television and was struck by his technique, so I asked my wife to come look at him. Now I never saw myself play, but I felt that this player is playing with a style similar to mine, and she looked at him on Television and said yes, there is a similarity between the two...his compactness, technique, stroke production... it all seemed to gel!"
Brian Lara : "The only batsman I would love to see by paying for the tickets and sitting in the stand just to watch him is none other than Sachin Tendulkar" and "Sachin is a genius. I'm a mere mortal"
Vivian Richards : "I think he is marvellous. I think he will fit in whatever category of Cricket that has been played or will be played, from the first ball that has ever been bowled to the last ball that's going to be. He can play in any era and at any level. I would say he's 99.5 per cent perfect."
"I have seen God, he bats at no. 4 for India," = Australian batsman Matthew Hayden
A placard at the SCG: Commit all your crimes when Sachin is batting. They will go unnoticed because even the Lord is watching.
Hashim Amla: Nothing bad can happen to us if we're on a plane in India with Sachin Tendulkar on it.
There are over 200 million illiterate women in India. This low literacy negatively impacts not just their lives but also their families' and the country's economic development. A girl's lack of education also has a negative impact on the health and well-being of her children.  =  Sachin Tendulkar
Schools across India do not have teachers, libraries, playing grounds and even toilets. I do not want to see empty classrooms, empty libraries. I do not want to see cattle grazing on fields meant to be cricket or football grounds.  =  Sachin Tendulkar
Today’s TV channels give the Stats as : 664 matches, 34357 runs, 164 Fifties, 100 Hundreds, 200 wickets. God of cricket

Hats off to you, God of Cricket! You too are retiring. What a Life!

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