I have known Sachin for nearly three decades, and I have seen a little sapling grow into a huge banyan tree under whose shade everyone found refuge. If I have to recollect anecdotes of Sachin, even 10 volumes will be less, but for our readers, I will narrate a few, which would give us an idea of what kind of person he is. It was nearly 15 years back, and there was a match in Mohali. I have forgotten the opposition, but I remember a call from a middle-aged lady, the widow of an Army Veteran whose younger son was suffering from a rare spinal cord- related ailment that had confined him to a wheelchair.
I vividly remember the name of the young boy, Fateh. Now Fateh’s mother called me and asked if I could arrange a small meeting of his son with Sachin as he is the only person the boy looks up to. It’s common to get such calls and impossible to always oblige to such requests, much to the disappointment of those who want that one moment with their hero. But there was something in that lady’s voice, a mother’s desperate appeal, that I assured her I would fix a meeting with Sachin.
Farhan Akhtar on Sachin Tendulkar
When I told about Fateh to Sachin, his first reaction was, ‘Please invite him to the team hotel as at practice, there will be too many people and too much commotion. I might not be able to give him adequate time.’ So a day before the match, Fateh and his elder brother and mother waited at the hotel. For some reason, the team meeting stretched a bit, and Sachin organised coffee for the guests and was apologetic for being late. Finally, when he came, he was accompanied by a few players, but I will always remember what happened in the next 15 minutes. Fateh tried to open the belt strap of his wheelchair and tried to get up to shake hands with Sachin. His mother taught him to stand on his feet and greet elders.
But insane pain made it impossible for him to get up, and he sat there staring at Sachin. His eyes were transfixed, and there were two other Indian players, but his eyes didn’t move. It’s still fresh in my memory when Fateh uttered those words, ‘He gives me the inspiration to remain positive and fight it out.’ Sachin spoke to the family and posed for photographs and then was about to give an autograph when Fateh said something that stunned even Sachin. Fateh looked at Sachin and asked: ‘Can you put an autograph on my wheelchair strap that helps me sit properly. You and this belt strap are the two lifelines for me.’I saw Sachin’s hands tremble while giving that autograph, and one could see how emotional he had become. He knew what he meant to his countrymen, but this was unimaginable.