As Sachin Tendulkar’s biopic ‘Sachin: A Billion Dreams’ premiers on 26 May, Sachin fans find the man praising Ajit Tendulkar, his brother.
What very few know is the fact that the tale of the two siblings has a very heartwarming angle: Look at what Wikipedia page says:
Tendulkar has three elder siblings: two half-brothers Nitin and Ajit, and a half-sister Savita. They were Ramesh’s children from his first marriage. Although, Sachin has not mentioned this even in his autobiography.
One of Sachin’s childhood friends speaks on the topic, however only on conditions of anonymity. He does not want to create a controversy when it comes to the sweetest, and one of the most close-knit, cultured celeb families.
As children, when we played together we saw so much love between all members of that family, that we never even wondered why the elder siblings of Sachin called their mother ‘<i>mavashi’ (aunt). </i>The entire credit goes to Sachin’s mother, Rajani <i>mavashi,</i> and father, Ramesh <i>kaka</i>. The children were brought up so well by these two, you could have never guessed Rajani <i>mavashi </i>was not the biological mother of all of them.
Sachin has never failed to endorse the fact that his elder half-brother Ajit Tendulkar spotted the spark in him and is instrumental in his success.
The childhood friend backs Sachin’s claims. He says:
Ajit <i>dada </i>(an attribute with respect for an elder brother) put his own cricket, his job, and personal milestones on hold simply because he believed Sachin could go a long way if he gets the right guidance and motivation at that crucial moment.
Yet another friend, Sunil Harshe, who lived in the same housing complex as Sachin (Sahitya Sahwas Society), narrates a funny incident from Sachin’s childhood.
Sachin & I were out to ‘steal’ raw mangoes from a tree in the colony, one evening when all homes had tuned in the film ‘Guide’ on Doordarshan. Sachin had plucked all mangoes from his side of the branch. Refusing to pay heed to my warning that the branches were weak, he lunged to my side of the branch and we both came crashing down. It was such a noisy scene. That sealed Sachin’s fate. He was to now begin his cricket lessons in earnest.
Sunil Harshe, Sachin’s childhood friend.
Harshe says Sachin’s father decided Sachin was to move to Shivaji Park and switch to Shardashram School. His brother Ajit chose coach Ramakant Achrekar over the other option of coach Anna Vaidya. Ajit was the sculptor of Sachin’s career throughout his cricketing journey.
Ajit was a brilliant batsman who played for Mumbai’s Kanga League. He put Sachin’s career above his own and everyone has seen how great a move that was.
Harshe refuses to answer whether he knew Sachin and Ajit were half-brothers. But another friend explains how as Sachin’s childhood friend, he found nothing amiss in the latter’s close-knit family. Here’s what he says:
Sachin’s father was earlier married to Ajit Tendulkar’s mother, who died after the birth of her third child. The elders in the family proposed that he marry his now deceased wife’s sister, Rajani, so that the children get a mother in the form of the ‘mavashi’. Sachin was born after Rajani mavashi & Ramesh kaka married. But all the four siblings are so close, you would never know Ajit and Sachin’s mothers are different individuals.
Sachin’s friend to <b>The Quint,</b> on condition of anonymity
Sachin seizes every opportunity to bring the spotlight on the brother who has been the driving force behind him.
Here’s a trailer of Sachin: A Billion Dreams’ that focuses on Ajit Tendulkar’s influence on and sacrifices for Sachin’s career.
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