‘DISEASES A BURDEN ON ECONOMY’
MASTERSTROKE Says need of the hour is to promote fitness in order to ensure overall development, which will help the country grow
Not one to be disheartened by the uproar that stalled his maiden speech in Parliament, Rajya Sabha MP and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar feels diseases will not let the country progress. ››
NEWDELHI: Top cricketers normally remember their memorable days very well. For someone who once held almost all the batting records of the world and scored a 100 international centuries, Sachin Tendulkar had several momentous days on and off the cricket field.
Five years ago on December 23, Tendulkar announced his retirement from ODIs. A year later in November , he played his last Test match at his home ground in Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. He’s now a nominated member of Rajya Sabha.
Days after an uproar by fellow MPs stalled his maiden speech in Rajya Sabha, Tendulkar told HT in an exclusive interview: “I have a vision for India. Cricket was my life (for 24 years) and now I have to live for India’s future”. Excerpts: Do you remember that you had decided to retire from ODIs on December 23 five years ago? Oh really? I had totally forgotten about it. There are more pressing matters in our country that require our attention. On Thursday, you were denied your maiden Rajya Sabha speech by fellow MPs. You must be disappointed. No, not at all. These things happen in the Parliament. I have seen this before. You took to social media to share your thoughts. Was there anything else that we missed out? Yes, I wanted to bring the House’s attention to our national heroes who we have probably forgotten. I had prepared a sample booklet containing the names of 20 national sports heroes. There are at least 800 of them, many of them languishing in life. We cannot afford to forget them. I have presented the booklet to HRD minister (Prakash Javadekar) and vice-president (M Venkaiah Naidu). You spoke a lot on getting fit and the right to play. You did not say anything about winning medals at the Olympics. I am looking at that big tree that has many branches. That big tree is an absolutely fit and healthy India. Professional athletes who win medals will be one of the many branches. You researched very well on how diabetes and obesity are impacting our economy. That’s the need of the hour. My cricket records will be broken or will get beaten, but when I am told we are the diabetic capital of the world and number 3 on the obesity list, it’s a massive issue. Diseases will not let us progress and United Nations reports project that between 2012 and 2030, the economic burden on India due to diseases will be $6.3 trillion. That’s disaster for growth. You want the 2009 Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act to include the right to play. But are you aware of the ground realities? Schools don’t even have playgrounds... Yes, that’s the whole idea. There is absolute need to play a sport at school and marks should be compulsorily awarded like any other subject. It’s a collective mission. The Mission XI Million project before FIFA Under17 World Cup exposed the lack of sports culture in schools. It was a good initiative. Rampant use of drugs and agefudging have hit agegroup sports. How will you correct that? I am dead against drugs and age-cheats. You can’t go far by doing all this. But as I said, I am not looking at short-term goals, we need to invest, insure, and immortalise the health of India. The happiest day in my life will come when parents will every ask their children if they have played a sport. Every day.