Having made an indelible mark in the world of cricket, Sachin Tendulkar could now be associated with promotion of sports in schools and higher education by tapping and nurturing the potential for bigger gains in global events like Olympics.
Tendulkar has written to the HRD Ministry, pressing for "systemic changes" and "overhaul" so that "12 medals in Rio (Olympic Games venue in 2016) and or 20 in 2020 aren't a pipedream".
Outlining his objectives in a three-page letter, the 39-year-old batting maestro has said he wants to leave behind "lasting legacies and help convert our cherished land into a hub of sporting excellence".
HRD Ministry has welcomed his offer to associate with enhancing the sports curriculum.
"We welcome Sachin Tendulkar's proposal and I have already written to him inviting him for a presentation," HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said.
In his letter, Tendulkar said, "For the first time in India's sporting history, the opportunity is ripe for a fundamental overhaul... We now need to give the final push Indian sport has been waiting for."
Referring to India's performance in the London Olympics held three months ago, he said the games "created heroes" who have become household names.
"It is time we stop being cynical and stop parading the clichéd line that six medals for a billion people is just not good enough. It is time to celebrate the initiation of sports culture in the country and celebrate the groundwork created at London for a fundamental overhaul of India's sporting structure.
"This is our opportunity to chase our dream of becoming a successful sporting nation. It can well be that the dream turns real in Rio in 2016 and India can yet again double its medal count at the Olympics," he wrote.
Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
