FEATURE
SACHIN TENDULKAR- WHO IS HE?!
This article was published in the Sept. 2003, edition of ISSUES & CONCERNS. On completion of his 20 years in cricket there have been justifiable brouhaha. One English news paper dedicating its editorial on his spendid blemishless record as a cricketer, qualified it by stating, quote "The one black hole in Ten
dulkar’s otherwise glittering career is his two brief stints at captaincy". However, this article was written at different point of time for its relevance at that time. We request the readers to take it in the same spirit. This reproduction is certainly not to take away from him his multi faceted greatness.
-Editor
dulkar’s otherwise glittering career is his two brief stints at captaincy". However, this article was written at different point of time for its relevance at that time. We request the readers to take it in the same spirit. This reproduction is certainly not to take away from him his multi faceted greatness.-Editor
Sachin Tendulkar, who is he? What a stupid question to ask? That too in India where he is almost a demigod, every young cricketers dream and the dream man of every young girl and not to so young, but young at heart. A talent in batting that not many can match, even remotely, either in India or in the entire cricketing world. He is the one who "gave nightmares to me" confessed Shane Werne. He is the one who caused the worst derailment of the Rawalpindi Xpress. The clobber that Shoaib Akhtar got at the hands of Sachin Tendulkar is only to be seen to be believed. Never before in his life Shoaib must have received such contemptuous treatment that his Captain Wasim Akram immediately withdrew him from the attack. The Pakistani team was comprehensively beaten by Indians, largely due to the heroics of Sachin Tendulkar.
So, how dare can I ask who is Sachin Tendulkar? Oh yes, it was this match that prompted Finance Minister Jaswant Singh-usually a very balanced man- to announce that the Indian Cricket Team’s World Cup earning shall be tax free. An announcement- therefore a decision- ‘which is financially unwarranted, politically unwise and socially discriminatory’, said T.J.S. George of Indian Express. By hindsight, this was an extremely unfortunate decision by the Finance Minister especially- the day he announced was the day Pakistan lost to India- because India defeated Pakistan. But the politics of this decision apart, this is poor reflection of how things work in India. Pakistan was comprehensively beaten by India (4-7) in the last hockey fixture of the Championship League at Amsterdam. Government of India did not think hockey team should be given similar largesse by the Finance Ministry. This is another dimension of the shoddy sports policy of successive Indian Governments. And it’s the same government that publicly stated that they had no money allotted and available, to increase the number of Arjuna Awards recently. While this is the sad story of our sports persons, Government never demurred making extra-ordinary gestures depending upon who does on whom.
Now reverting to our contemporary sports star, Sachin Tendulkar, many matches- Test and ODIs- have been single handedly won by Sachin Tendulkar for the country. Thus, there is no doubt that he has rendered yeoman service to the country and shall continue to do so for long years to come. However, everybody knows that he was in the national media in recent times. Not for his heroics with the bat, but for some reasons which was not connected with sports at all. All Indians know that Sachin Tendulkar is the highest earning cricketer in the country today. His earning from matches and sponsorship is in the region of Rs 25/30 crores per year. How many Indians can be earning this kind of money? He is probably the richest sportsperson in India of all times. He is easily worth more that Rs 200 crores, and then one fine morning he gets a ‘gift’ from the Fiat Italy, a Ferrari Sport Coupe, the glitzy mean machine. Its another matter that he may not be able to drive it in Mumbai during the normal hours. Its alleged that; to circumvent the tax liability on payments that Sachin shall receive as per his contract, the ‘gift’ was organized. A ‘gift’ worth 70+ lakhs attracted a customs duty of Rs 1.13 crores. Sachin Tendulkar, the Mumbaikar, call up another Mumbaikar, a political heavy weight, Pramod Mahajan, for help, who in turn asks the Minister of Finance (MoF), Jaswanth Singh. The Finance Minister, in the highest tradition of MoF in ‘public interest’ decides to waive the duty of Rs 1.13 crores to the ‘richest poor man’ of Indian sports.
Now a person worth hundreds of crores of rupees, requesting the government for a measly sum of one crore and thirteen lakhs, which is much less than 1% of his net worth, asking for a waiver on a legitimate government due-which really is the country’s money-is simply unthinkable. But, for the government to show such an alacrity and to accede to his request, probably in a matter of hours is the height of irresponsibility. Would Pramod Mahajan and the Finance Minister do it for anybody else, a similar concession and with such supersonic speed? Or these gentlemen, who were so quick in giving out public money, would give even 1% of the Rs 1.13 crore in charity for a general public cause from their personal earning? Another point that needs to be noted that when Zubin Mehta’s Music Foundation requested for a waiver for a genuine gift of a piano, its application was rejected on the ground that there is no policy to justify exemptions. The amount in question was a mere 5 lakhs. This is what prompted the question: SACHIN TENDULKAR, WHO IS HE?
"Sachin Tendulkar may be a good cricketer, but he does not seem to be a good citizen" said Indian Express. Or else how can anybody explain this request from a person who received all the adulation and the resultant wealth from the nation? It is learnt from unconfirmed sources, he does reach out to underprivileged children with time and resources, which is indeed commendable. However, inspite of his misplaced request and the governments equally misplaced sanction, if he had offered to pay the duty off, he would certainly have gone up very high in the public esteem. Then the answer to the question who is Sachin Tendulkar would have been- HE IS A PERFECT ICON. A MODEL CITIZEN.
Then there are people who advance the name of Ravi Shastri. Case of Ravi Shastri is not only different but also deserving from financial angle too. Ravishastri got his car as a part of the tournaments best cricketer award besides Ravi Shastri never made the kind of money Sachin Tendulkar has made and those days there was neither sponsorship nor advertisement revenues earned by the cricketers or other sports persons.
Therefore, the relevance of the question is because of the way the power that be bent the law of the land to suit its whims and fancies. In a democracy, this is an unhealthy precedent and therefore not acceptable.
I&C feature
So, how dare can I ask who is Sachin Tendulkar? Oh yes, it was this match that prompted Finance Minister Jaswant Singh-usually a very balanced man- to announce that the Indian Cricket Team’s World Cup earning shall be tax free. An announcement- therefore a decision- ‘which is financially unwarranted, politically unwise and socially discriminatory’, said T.J.S. George of Indian Express. By hindsight, this was an extremely unfortunate decision by the Finance Minister especially- the day he announced was the day Pakistan lost to India- because India defeated Pakistan. But the politics of this decision apart, this is poor reflection of how things work in India. Pakistan was comprehensively beaten by India (4-7) in the last hockey fixture of the Championship League at Amsterdam. Government of India did not think hockey team should be given similar largesse by the Finance Ministry. This is another dimension of the shoddy sports policy of successive Indian Governments. And it’s the same government that publicly stated that they had no money allotted and available, to increase the number of Arjuna Awards recently. While this is the sad story of our sports persons, Government never demurred making extra-ordinary gestures depending upon who does on whom.
Now reverting to our contemporary sports star, Sachin Tendulkar, many matches- Test and ODIs- have been single handedly won by Sachin Tendulkar for the country. Thus, there is no doubt that he has rendered yeoman service to the country and shall continue to do so for long years to come. However, everybody knows that he was in the national media in recent times. Not for his heroics with the bat, but for some reasons which was not connected with sports at all. All Indians know that Sachin Tendulkar is the highest earning cricketer in the country today. His earning from matches and sponsorship is in the region of Rs 25/30 crores per year. How many Indians can be earning this kind of money? He is probably the richest sportsperson in India of all times. He is easily worth more that Rs 200 crores, and then one fine morning he gets a ‘gift’ from the Fiat Italy, a Ferrari Sport Coupe, the glitzy mean machine. Its another matter that he may not be able to drive it in Mumbai during the normal hours. Its alleged that; to circumvent the tax liability on payments that Sachin shall receive as per his contract, the ‘gift’ was organized. A ‘gift’ worth 70+ lakhs attracted a customs duty of Rs 1.13 crores. Sachin Tendulkar, the Mumbaikar, call up another Mumbaikar, a political heavy weight, Pramod Mahajan, for help, who in turn asks the Minister of Finance (MoF), Jaswanth Singh. The Finance Minister, in the highest tradition of MoF in ‘public interest’ decides to waive the duty of Rs 1.13 crores to the ‘richest poor man’ of Indian sports.
Now a person worth hundreds of crores of rupees, requesting the government for a measly sum of one crore and thirteen lakhs, which is much less than 1% of his net worth, asking for a waiver on a legitimate government due-which really is the country’s money-is simply unthinkable. But, for the government to show such an alacrity and to accede to his request, probably in a matter of hours is the height of irresponsibility. Would Pramod Mahajan and the Finance Minister do it for anybody else, a similar concession and with such supersonic speed? Or these gentlemen, who were so quick in giving out public money, would give even 1% of the Rs 1.13 crore in charity for a general public cause from their personal earning? Another point that needs to be noted that when Zubin Mehta’s Music Foundation requested for a waiver for a genuine gift of a piano, its application was rejected on the ground that there is no policy to justify exemptions. The amount in question was a mere 5 lakhs. This is what prompted the question: SACHIN TENDULKAR, WHO IS HE?
"Sachin Tendulkar may be a good cricketer, but he does not seem to be a good citizen" said Indian Express. Or else how can anybody explain this request from a person who received all the adulation and the resultant wealth from the nation? It is learnt from unconfirmed sources, he does reach out to underprivileged children with time and resources, which is indeed commendable. However, inspite of his misplaced request and the governments equally misplaced sanction, if he had offered to pay the duty off, he would certainly have gone up very high in the public esteem. Then the answer to the question who is Sachin Tendulkar would have been- HE IS A PERFECT ICON. A MODEL CITIZEN.
Then there are people who advance the name of Ravi Shastri. Case of Ravi Shastri is not only different but also deserving from financial angle too. Ravishastri got his car as a part of the tournaments best cricketer award besides Ravi Shastri never made the kind of money Sachin Tendulkar has made and those days there was neither sponsorship nor advertisement revenues earned by the cricketers or other sports persons.
Therefore, the relevance of the question is because of the way the power that be bent the law of the land to suit its whims and fancies. In a democracy, this is an unhealthy precedent and therefore not acceptable.
I&C feature
GANDHI AND CRICKET
By his comments ‘Mumbai is for all Indians’, Sachin Tendulkar had just stated the obvious, yet it was vocal enough to ignite the passion of the Sena chief who felt that it had hurt the sentiments of the Marathi manoos, and thus launched a veiled attack on the master blaster. Sachin has been cautioned or rather sounded a friendly warning against meddling on the political pitch lest he lose all that he has gained on the cricket pitch. Most of Balasaheb’s political adversaries believe that his outburst against the iconic genius was an attempt to score some brownie points and get even with his estranged nephew, whose followers by creating a ruckus in the Legislative Assembly appear to be gaining ground on the political front. A few days earlier, a noted writer and columnist had expressed her desire that Sachin, an iconic figure that he is, should have been more proactive in speaking his mind on issues related to national and social concerns. However, with all that has transpired, it would do good for Sachin to stay tuned to his game rather than indulge in issues that could evoke such negative responses.
Politics and sports have always been strange bedfellows, as any change in equation on the political front would always cast its murky shadow on the sports arena. Politicians are often known to meddle in issues related to sports to further their political cause. Cricket being the most obsessed and revered sport in India, has often fallen prey to the intimidating tactics of a small group of thuggish bigots owing allegiance to some political outfit. There have been numerous instances where matches have been disrupted due to invasion on the field and called off after the pitch being vandalized. Such instances have reoccurred time and again as the local administration lacks the inclination and the commitment to take the culprits to task.
At this juncture, it reminds me of an interesting tale that dates back to the pre-independence era . It was narrated to me by no less a person than the late Vijay Merchant, a gentleman cricketer par excellence and one of the finest opening batsmen of his times. It speaks of how the ‘Father of the Nation’ Mahatma Gandhi managed to keep sports aloof from the ugly influence of politics at a time when India was fighting against the colonial rule of the British.
It was in the 1933-34 England tour of India, Mahatma Gandhi was presented an autograph book containing the names and autographs of 16 English cricketers on one side and 16 Indian cricketers on the other. Gandhiji had a good look at the names of both the teams and then quietly wrote his name below the list of English cricketers and signed across the space in gujarathi. With this humble gesture bapuji indicated to every Englishmen that, although he was prepared to take on the British Government tooth and nail for the freedom of India, he had nothing what so ever against any Britisher and was even prepared to enrol himself as the seventeenth member of the English side I feel that it’s time our present day politicians take a leaf out of this autograph book.
Kishore Amin
By his comments ‘Mumbai is for all Indians’, Sachin Tendulkar had just stated the obvious, yet it was vocal enough to ignite the passion of the Sena chief who felt that it had hurt the sentiments of the Marathi manoos, and thus launched a veiled attack on the master blaster. Sachin has been cautioned or rather sounded a friendly warning against meddling on the political pitch lest he lose all that he has gained on the cricket pitch. Most of Balasaheb’s political adversaries believe that his outburst against the iconic genius was an attempt to score some brownie points and get even with his estranged nephew, whose followers by creating a ruckus in the Legislative Assembly appear to be gaining ground on the political front. A few days earlier, a noted writer and columnist had expressed her desire that Sachin, an iconic figure that he is, should have been more proactive in speaking his mind on issues related to national and social concerns. However, with all that has transpired, it would do good for Sachin to stay tuned to his game rather than indulge in issues that could evoke such negative responses.
Politics and sports have always been strange bedfellows, as any change in equation on the political front would always cast its murky shadow on the sports arena. Politicians are often known to meddle in issues related to sports to further their political cause. Cricket being the most obsessed and revered sport in India, has often fallen prey to the intimidating tactics of a small group of thuggish bigots owing allegiance to some political outfit. There have been numerous instances where matches have been disrupted due to invasion on the field and called off after the pitch being vandalized. Such instances have reoccurred time and again as the local administration lacks the inclination and the commitment to take the culprits to task.
At this juncture, it reminds me of an interesting tale that dates back to the pre-independence era . It was narrated to me by no less a person than the late Vijay Merchant, a gentleman cricketer par excellence and one of the finest opening batsmen of his times. It speaks of how the ‘Father of the Nation’ Mahatma Gandhi managed to keep sports aloof from the ugly influence of politics at a time when India was fighting against the colonial rule of the British.
It was in the 1933-34 England tour of India, Mahatma Gandhi was presented an autograph book containing the names and autographs of 16 English cricketers on one side and 16 Indian cricketers on the other. Gandhiji had a good look at the names of both the teams and then quietly wrote his name below the list of English cricketers and signed across the space in gujarathi. With this humble gesture bapuji indicated to every Englishmen that, although he was prepared to take on the British Government tooth and nail for the freedom of India, he had nothing what so ever against any Britisher and was even prepared to enrol himself as the seventeenth member of the English side I feel that it’s time our present day politicians take a leaf out of this autograph book.
Kishore Amin
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