Sachin advises sportspersons to be better individuals first

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar Friday said it was important for sportsperons to be better individuals first and accept everything with humility and stay grounded.

Tendulkar, who retired from the game last year, passed on advice he got from his father during his playing days to the medal winners of the 2014 Commonwealth Games during a felicitation ceremony organised by the sports ministry here Friday.

"My father gave me two advice and I think this is the right stage to pass on to you those advice. When I started playing cricket, my father told me if you a good cricketer you will play for 15 years, and if you are very good, you will play for 20 years, but what after that? Everything in life is temporary and you have to accept the person you are. It is very important to be a good person in life," he said.

The batting great said it would give him immense pleasure if somebody tells him one day that his son is a better human being than a cricketer.

"I would be happy if somebody walks up to me and say your son is a good cricketer but I will be happier if someone tells me that he is even a better person. I think it is important to accept everything in life with humility and stay grounded," he said.

Tendulkar's second advice was not to get worried about "those who are trying to pull you down".

"Not always everyone will like you. There will be obstructions but the energy should always be focussed on doing the right things and not get distracted.

"My father once told me that there will be a lot of arms that will try to pull you down, but as long as you stay in the right direction, you will see that at one point of time you have gone beyond them. They will join hands to praise you," he said.

Tendulkar also asked the athletes to give their 100 percent and not feel bad even if they end up losing.

"When you start doing good in life, expectations go up. As sportspersons, your performance will be analysed and criticised. But one thing that outsiders can't judge is the satisfaction that you will get when you give your 100 percent. If you give 100 percent and still the opposition team wins, you should not feel bad about it," he said.

The former cricketer congratulated all the medal winners and also had special words for bronze medallists para powerlifter Sakina Khatun and gymnast Dipa Karmakar.

"Being a sportsperson, I know what it needs to be here. Congratulations to all the medal winners.

"I would specially like to congratulate Sakina Khatun and Dipa Karmakar. Sportspersons from rural India have to struggle a lot. Above all, you have chosen sports, which is not popular in India. I want all of you to be successful, so that when somebody watches your sport, they will ask others to be like you," he said.