Sachin Tendulkar urges all Indians to support para-athletes in Tokyo 2020 Paralympics
A billion Indians cheered and backed every athlete who participated in Tokyo Olympics 2020. Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar has urged all the Indians to continue the trend and cheer for para-athletes in the upcoming Tokyo Paralympics 2020. The event begins tomorrow (24th August) and shall conclude on 5th September.
Sending a special message to all the Indian participants in the event, Tendulkar penned a short article that expresses his feeling towards the national contingent.
“It is time for the Paralympics and I would like to appeal to all Indians to get behind our contingent of 54 athletes in Tokyo. I have always believed that these women and men are not athletes with special abilities. Rather, they are women and men of extraordinary ability who are all real-life heroes for each one of us. Their journeys are an eye-opener to what women and men can do with passion, commitment and determination and serve as inspiration for every one of us,” the batting legend said.
For the Master Blaster, every Indian taking part in this event is special. He added that not only the medal winners but also every participant must be celebrated. A total of 54 Indian para-athletes will compete in 9 different sports events.
“I have always believed that if we can celebrate our Paralympic athletes in the very same manner that we celebrate our Olympic heroes and our cricketers, we can become a better society. And it is not simply about the medal winners. Not every athlete among the 54 participating in the Paralympics will win a medal. However, it is important we celebrate them all. We need to celebrate the process and not simply the outcome. That’s when real change will happen in our sport,” Tendulkar explained.
In the recently concluded Tokyo 2020 Olympics, India registered their highest-ever Olympic haul as they returned home with a tally of seven medals. While Tendulkar hoped that para-athletes too shall emulate this feat and record their best haul, he was going to support them wholeheartedly regardless of their podium finish.
“I have been reading we might win more than 10 medals this time round. I hope we win more. In Rio, we had won 4 medals. If that goes up to 10 it is a significant upswing that all of us should celebrate. Having said that I will watch each athlete with the same interest whether they make it to the podium or not. All of them are great role models and to see them perform for India and do it all for the tricolour is in itself a great sense of satisfaction for the country,” Tendulkar exclaimed.
It is Tendulkar’s mission to transform India from being a sports-loving nation into a sports-playing nation. He thanked one and all involved in extending their support to sportspersons. In conclusion, he urged every Indian to stand resolutely behind the athletes and cheer for them.
“I have been delighted to see India embrace the Paralympics this year, the very welcome initiatives of the government and corporates working in partnership and on their own in different aspects of extending support to our sportspersons are all steps in the right direction.
To conclude – I will watch Paralympics with equal intensity like I did for the Olympics. I urge all of you to do so and cheer for our beloved India,” Tendulkar added.
