The Indian government surprised many with its recent decision to nominate Sachin Tendulkar to Rajya Sabha, the country’s Upper House of Parliament.
The distinguished Cricketer and highest run scorer in the history (100 centuries) is the first sportsperson nominated to Rajya Sabha, while still being an active player.
No one disputes the greatness of Sachin the player, but critics have been quick to give this appointment a political colour.
They contend the ruling Congress party and its allies are trying to divert public mind away from their woeful performance by shifting the focus on Sachin as a Parliamentarian.
Sachin has come out against allegations saying that he is apolitical and took the nomination as a national honour and that Cricket will always be his priority.
That persons nominated through the eminent citizen’s category can also make a difference to society should not be doubted, as seen through the stellar performance of actress Shabana Azmi. She championed the cause of slum dwellers of Mumbai to heart-warming results.
Sachin the cricketer has learnt to live by the high standards he has set on the field. Expectant fans want a big score from his bat for every ball bowled.
Will Sachin as a Member of Parliament be held to similar lofty benchmarks?
It would be wrong for any individual to expect him to make an instantaneous and visible difference. He must be given time to firstly understand the working and nuances of Parliament and then find areas where he can make a positive impact on the society. Uplifting the lot of sportsmen across various disciplines can be a good starting point.
A major challenge though for Sachin would be how he juggles his sporting commitments with parliamentary duties.
He has not ruled out retirement from international cricket. He also represents the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League. He must strike a fine balance between Cricket and politics, especially if IPL matches clash with major debates in Parliament.
The clamour for Sachin being honoured with ‘Bharat Ratna’ (India’s highest civilian award) has been there for long. While that is yet to fructify, his stint in the Rajya Sabha has given him a unique opportunity to improve the lot of people off the field, after giving them reasons to cheer for so long on the field.
The tenure in Rajya Sabha (six years) is a long time and knowing Sachin the sportsman, it will not be a surprise to anyone if he masters another pitch.
