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Coming to this thread after a long long time!
What a day! When one's emotions got better of oneself!
On this D-day, want to reproduce something that I wrote about the God! I was privileged enough to meet him when he came to our organisation! This was written for the company magazine and I am putting it here for your consumption!
D-Day Destiny
It was a day that one had waited to dawn for the past God knows how many years!
It was a day when one's cherished dream of meeting his idol was about to materialise!
When did it all start? Was it when a 15 year old boy was selected for the (then) Bombay Ranji Team way back in 1988?
Was it when the young fellow scored a century on debut in all three (Ranji, Duleep and Irani Tropy) matches, a feat unheard of till then!
Was it when the media speculated that this young turk would be selected for the West Indies Tour of India in 1989?
Was it when he stood up to the pace quartet of Imran, Wasim, Waqar and Aquib Javed in his debut tour and in spite of literally spilling blood on the turf came back and countered the fearsome foursome?
Was it when in the history draped city of Peshawar, the capital of North West Frontier Province, one saw this guy toying with the likes of the wily Qadir who was treated like a club bowler, with the balls continuously disappearing out of the stadium as if possessed?
Was it when the guy stood on the verge of history to become the youngest ever to score a century in a Test at the far end of the Southern Hemisphere in a little town called Napier?
Was it when the guy scored a match saving 119 not out at Old Trafford in the Old Blighty that prompted then the England batsman Allan Lamb to famously remark "Don't tell me this guy is 17"!
Was it when the guy scored a Nelson's Eye of 111 at Wanderers in Johannesburg at the age of 18 against an attack that had a man called White Lightning ?
Was it when the boy still to get out of his teens scored a jaw dropping 114 at WACA, the paceman's paradise at Perth against McDermott and Co in 1992?
One can go and on and on! Now coming to the present --
This man is coming to Chennai and he is visiting our organisation and I am going to be one of the persons selected for meeting him! It took some time for the message to sink in.
The very thought of seeing him in flesh and blood was good enough for me to lose focus on everything else!
Started planning for the meet. What should I talk, what should I ask and what should I wear? A million things were zooming in my mind and people who know me as an addict were asking me what my preparations are?
The D-Day dawned! It so happened that my daughter was to perform a Classic dance recital in the evening on the same day! But that hardly mattered to me! [My daughter knowing me had said "Dad, I would miss you but still it is fine because I don't want you to miss your D-Day". Such a sweet child!)
Though contrary to my expectations the meet didn't happen in the Branch and we were asked to come to another location for the meet and where it transpired that I rather our team from the Branch had to sit among few hundreds, still that didn't deter me. We had to be at our seat early and so lunch was skipped and I for that matter had not taken breakfast also. One didn't even feel it.
We had taken our seats in front of the podium so that there was no hindrance in seeing him. It was 1.30 pm and he was supposed to come at 3 pm. We never moved out and with the ticking of the clock the huge pantry hall was becoming one large mass of humanity and hundreds kept pouring in. All known faces and colleagues were criss crossing and everybody was acknowledged with a mechanical wave of hands with mind hovering somewhere else.
There was this known gentleman colleague of mine who on seeing my excitement and knowing that I outnumber my idol in age (the only area where I can outscore him!) asked me "Sir, you too a fan of him?" for which pat came my reply " No sir! I am not his Fan" and after a brief pause said "He is like my younger Brother" leaving my colleague stunned!
Now the clock was tickling fast and every time the door opened there was a huge roar only to subside on seeing somebody else. Finally the man walked in and the roar turned into a cresendo that was never to die down!
Somebody welcomed! He acknowledged! Questions were put to him! He answered! For me everything was surreal and were getting registered at the back of my mind. But there at that moment the only thing that I was seeing and enjoying was I was in his presence and that lasted for close to 20 minutes, a chance that not many people get!
I did not speak to him! I did not click a photograph with him! I could not even go near him! Well these are all small things. What finally mattered was I had seen him in close quarters and it was my tyrust with destiny.
Friday the 11th January of 2013 would remain as a blessed day for me!
Thank You (My organisation)!
Thank You Sir for agreeing to meet mortals like us by coming down to our place!
A man whose name is permanently etched in the Hall of Fame!
A man whose name is permanently etched in the History of Cricket!
A man whose name is permanently etched in the hearts of Billions!
But a man who has his head firmly on his shoulders and feet firmly on the ground!
There was no one before him!
There is no one like him!
There will be no one after him!
Supreme Rare Talent
SRT can also be expanded like this!
But SRT will always be Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar !
Long Live Little Master!
Long Live Bharat Ratna Sir Sachin Tendulkar!
Regards
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Dear Murali Sir
Very well expressed statement about SRT and from the bottom of the heart. You almost reflected every one's thought.
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This is my posting in the Forum Hub other than the Great Nadigar Thilagam Sivaji Ganesan.
For the first time, I am posting something for some one other than NT and it is the Great SRT.
At this glorious moment, every Indian should be proud of having Sachin as a man of our own soil.
Long live SRT and thank you Sachin for bestowing on us the joy over the last 24 years.
Regards,
R. Parthasarathy
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Tendulkar's retirement and the fact that his batting will not be part of my life anymore, is like losing someone near/dear in my family.
I may sound a tad emotional and slightly outdated, but the truth of the matter is, to me, nothing can replace the sheer joy that Sachin brought to my life.
His success gave me joy, when he was hurt, I felt the pain.
Love, you Dear Master and Stay Blessed, forever!!
Thank you for all the Memories.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
littlemaster1982
Very Very Emotional... it is very difficult digest that Sachin is not going to play Cricket any more for India...
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DAVID RICHARDSON, CEO of International Cricket Council (ICC):
"He was an exceptional cricketer who earned the utmost respect of his peers, team mates, opponents and fans all over the world through his talent, performances and fierce competitiveness.
"His 664 internationals, 34,357 runs and 100 centuries over 24 years not only illustrate his determination and commitment to the game but also his mental and physical toughness which are the vital ingredients to reach the highest pedestal in any sport.
"Sachin always put his team ahead of himself during his illustrious career but he picked up a number of personal accolades which highlights his brilliance.
"Sporting geniuses like Sachin are rare phenomena and we are privileged to have seen him in action. On behalf of the ICC and the entire cricketing family, I thank Sachin for his unprecedented services to our sport and we wish him well in the future."
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ANJALI, wife of Sachin Tendulkar:
"I have always known, from even before we got married, he is not only mine. Cricket comes first. He belongs to Mumbai, he belongs to the country and then he belongs to us.
"I can imagine cricket without Sachin but I can't imagine Sachin without cricket."
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Tweets:
ROGER FEDERER, tennis great:
"What a remarkable career @sachin_rt. Wish you the very best moving forward #ThankYouSachin"
SANIA MIRZA, India tennis player:
"So emotional...the whole country is...we will miss u #RESPECT #SACHIN #LEGEND"
MICHAEL CARRICK, England footballer:
"A true great of sport @sachin_rt retiring, had some innings!! The little master will be missed."
GRAEME SMITH, South Africa captain:
"Sorry I missed @sachin_rt last game.what can you say about a man that did so much for our great game! all the best in retirement & thank you!"
MATTHEW HAYDEN, former Australia cricketer:
"Chase dreams and no short cuts, be a good person #dad patience, prayers and sacrifices #mum whatever you do, do it 100%#brother #Sachin"
BRETT LEE, former Australia cricketer:
"Congrats to the legend @sachin_rt well done mate on everything you have achieved. A phenomenal career"
DARREN LEHMANN, Australia coach:
"Congratulations to Sachin on a magnificent career! One of the best of all time in the world of cricket, plenty of memories from him!"
DAMIEN FLEMING, former Australia cricketer:
"Well done on a great career #Sachin And #ThankYouSachin all the headaches bowling to you in your prime"
TOM MOODY, former Australia cricketer:
"Moving & classy speech by the "little master" composed & graceful to the very end. #ThankYouSachin"
GRAEME SWANN, England cricketer:
"I'm not sure if you heard but Sachin Tendulkar retired today! What a great little player and lovely bloke #ThankYouSachin"
LUKE WRIGHT, England cricketer:
"Such a honour to have watched and played against Sachin. He is a different class and yet still a great person. #ThankYouSachin"
CHRIS GAYLE, West Indies cricketer:
"Was absolutely a pleasure being a part of history Sachin Tendulkar 200 Test Match. #legends"
VIRENDER SEHWAG, India cricketer:
"Been an emotional time for me since the announcement #SRT. Can't articulate what he means to me, it's so personal! #ThankYouSachin"
SANJAY MANJREKAR, former India cricketer:
"He was the first to reach the ground & last to leave for 29 yrs. Don't think any cricketer will miss the game as much as Tendulkar will."
AAKASH CHOPRA, former India cricketer:
"Damp eyes...lump in my throat. A final goodbye. #ThankYouSachin"
HARBHAJAN SINGH, India cricketer:
"Let's salute the master. Cricket won't be the same without u. For me u r cricket. Thank u paji for everything"
IRFAN PATHAN, India cricketer:
"Most emotional retirement of world cricket but Sachin Tendulkar isn't retiring from our heart, #ThankYouSachin" (Compiled by Sudipto Ganguly; editing by Clare Fallon)
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Omar Abdullah, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister
Haven't been a big cricket fan for a while now but to see Sachin retire today brought a lump to my throat, a true gentleman.
Difficult to imagine Indian cricket without Sachin - the highs, the lows, the celebration & the exasperation that he brought #ThankYouSachin
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Ashwin Ravichandran
I gave it all i had for the last 24 years,now i see my kids grown up to be on their own".He said this nd my eyes got moist.#ThankYouSachin
