Dear Sachin,
It is with great admiration, love and sadness, that we, cricket fans across the world, bid you goodbye.
Sachin, you have epitomized what it takes for a talented player to be a leader in a sport, that too, in all formats of the game of cricket.
As a player, you have demonstrated all the attributes of personal leadership – humility, skill, execution, passion, a terrific personal brand, determination and re-inventing oneself when the chips are down.
Your preparation before a game reminds us that converting talent into results requires attention to detail and hard work at the nets, as well as preparing the mind. We admire your ability to bounce back from injuries and surgeries through hard work and long hours in the gym. We are amazed by your passion and hunger to play cricket after so many years and all those balls you dispatched in stadiums around the world.
And…above all, you have carried yourself with dignity and grace all these years. Considering the pressure and expectations from over a billion fans, your composure seems surreal.
Sachin, you are and will remain cricket’s legend forever.
This week, as you bid adieu at the end of your final test match representing India at the Wankhade stadium in Mumbai, representing India, the entire world will be your stage!
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for you to ask your fans for something in return - as our gift to you.
Perhaps you can ask each of us watching the game on television or in the stadium to help make the world greener by planting a sapling in our neighborhood and nurture it in your fond memory.
or… perhaps you can announce a fund in your name that will contribute to a global calamity, such as the one in Philippines this week or the recent ones in Uttarakand or Odisha.
or… perhaps contribute to your favorite social cause.
You have the opportunity to leverage the world-stage by being a catalyst for a larger cause by creating a multiplier effect with your followers.
This is what inspirational leaders do!
This is exactly what Bill Clinton did in 2004, when he reached out to Americans to contribute to relief efforts for the Tsunami in Asia. As reported by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, nearly 25% of American households contributed an average of $125 for Tsunami relief efforts for a total of $2.78 billion. In addition, corporations contributed $340 millon.
With several million viewers across the world, the number of trees that we can grow by planting saplings in our neighborhood or the monies that can be raised with small online contributions from individuals is mind-boggling.
Sachin, you have always lifted our spirits on the cricket ground. We know you can lift our spirits to participate beyond the stadium by contributing to a global cause…in your memory.
Wow, wouldn’t that bring out the spark and inspire a child in every home!
photo-credits - sify.com
