Saturday, November 14, 2009

Anjali Tendulkar - The Woman Behind The Man (Legend), Sachin Tendulkar


'I don't eat. I don't answer phones. I don't even move when Sachin is batting.'

Wife Anjali Tendulkar is Sachin's lifeline; he depends on her for almost everything.

These were the headlines for the interview with Anjali Tendulkar in the Times Of India today morning. We watch Tendulkar in the TV playing (cricket) matches after matches, travelling throughout the world, in advertisements, in interviews....I was just wondering when he will adjust time to spend with his wife and two beautiful kids. When I read the interview, I was able to feel how much Anjali had supported Sachin through the years.

She is the best wife who loves him and stays in the background to take care of the family, so that Sachin can concentrate in his passion, cricket.

Now, some excerpts of the interview from TOI:

How easy or difficult is it to be Mrs Sachin Tendulkar? How do you cope with the pressures?

ANJALI: For me, it's very easy because I've known Sachin for 19 years now. I understand him so well. So whether I am his girlfriend or his wife, it's the same thing, just an extension of that bond. I don't find it very difficult and I'm used to it. Maybe, it's also because I've not known any other person in my life except Sachin. Of course, there are many challenges and difficulties to being his wife but the whole family, including my children, has learnt to deal with it.

Any regrets at all on the home front?

ANJALI: The only regret, even though we've learnt to cope with it, is that he's not at home most of the time. I think even Sachin has realised this, now that the kids are growing up fast. Sara is 12 and Arjun is 10. We sometimes wonder where all the years have gone. Since he used to be away most of the time when they were growing up, now he tries to come home as much as possible. If a match gets over early, he'll come home, stay overnight and then leave again in the morning. Though he's trying his best to spend more time with the family, sometimes he's not at home for birthdays, special occasions or even for the kids' annual day at school. It matters a lot to the kids.

Have you ever grown tired of waiting for Sachin to return from a tour?

ANJALI: It's always been like that. These days, whenever he goes on a long tour, we usually try and plan a short holiday with the kids. Maybe during the school vacation or something. There's no other option for us.

Don't you regret the fact that Sachin's fame prevents him from being a normal father?

ANJALI: It's been like this from the beginning, so you accept it. It's part of life even for our children. They know their father cannot do certain things. So we take the trouble once every year and go somewhere where he can be a normal father. Like in London, he takes Arjun to the park to play. Even there people recognise him, but they don't mob him and give him his space.

Please go back in time to when you met Sachin for the first time...

ANJALI: (Laughs) We've not really told many people this. I first met him at the Mumbai airport when he returned from his first tour of England in 1990, after scoring his maiden Test ton. In fact, when I first saw him at the airport, I didn't even know who he was. It was purely by accident! I was there to pick up my mother and Sachin was arriving with the Indian team. That's where we saw each other for the first time... we had a courtship of five years and got married in 1995. We had got engaged a year before that in 1994 and that was in New Zealand.

Do you believe in destiny?

ANJALI: Yes, it is destiny and I believe in that.

You could have been a very successful doctor...

ANJALI: I loved medicine and a lot of people often ask me if I'm wasting my education. I don't think so. Though I loved every moment of my studying days and my days at the government hospital, it then came to a stage when I realised that I could not be married to Sachin and also have a full-time career. It wasn't possible because he depends on me for almost everything. It was my decision. I thought I should be at home with him and make everything perfect for him.

In his childhood, brother Ajit did everything for Sachin, sacrificing his own interests. I thought I should do the same. Besides, mine would not have been a 9 to 5 job. I'm a paediatrician, so if there's a patient calling me or someone admitted at odd hours, I have to make myself available. With Sachin not around and me with two kids at home, it wouldn't have been possible. I took a decision and I have never, ever regretted it.

Have you ever driven the Ferrari?

ANJALI: When Sachin got his Ferrari home I asked him to show me how to change its gears because they are near the steering and move with the fingers. To my surprise, he said, 'You don't need to drive my Ferrari.' In fact, I needed to know because at times we need to move it when he's not around. It actually happened once and we couldn't move it. I've been longing to drive his Ferrari.

Have you and Sachin ever thought about what life is going to be like after cricket, or how long he intends to play?

ANJALI: People often tell us that we ought to start thinking about what he's going to do after cricket. But I feel that when you are playing, you need to focus 100%. You cannot even think of what you'll do after cricket. So I always tell Sachin not to think about it. I tell him, 'It doesn't matter, surely you'll find something to do, you have lots of interests.'

Also, maybe we can just take some time off and travel the world and then look ahead. I always insist that he should not worry about the future. At the same time, he will be at a total loss because his whole life has been cricket.

Hats off to Anjali Tendulkar! Really, Sachin is lucky to have her in his life!

Sachin's family at Madame Tussauds:



Family photo courtesy: daylight.com

33 comments :

Swaram said...

Really nice to read this piece Sandhya :) I hv always felt she is a well-balanced individual and they do complement each other really well :)

Thanks for sharing :)

SG said...

Nice article. But there are millions of other women who supports the husband and family, without the fame and affluence.

Deeps said...

how wonderful! Its so aptly said that 'behind every successful man,there is a woman'!

Sandhya said...

Swaram: This is the reason Sachin is reaching unbelievable heights in his career, Swaram.

SG: But Anjali knows him for the past 19 years, from the time he started his career and was not very famous, SG.


Deeps: You are right, Deepu!

Kavita Saharia said...

Sandhya,you are right,it is rare to see a woman with her kind of education leave or sacrifice her own interest just like that....fame or no fame.She sure sounds like a very balanced person ,may they always live happily ever after and i wish that she gets to drive that Ferrari.

Sandhya said...

Kavita: As you said, she seems to be a very intelligent and down to earth person. She would have been a very good paediatrician, if she had chosen that line.

I hope so too.

kanagu said...

I have read this interview and she is really a down-to-earth person...

thanks for Sahring it :)

have you read the Sachin's interview in TOI..?? its also really good..

Indian Home Maker said...

They sound like a down to earth couple, nice photograph! :) It's great to see couples support each other's dreams... Best wishes to them both :)

hitch writer said...

Like I always say for Sachin... Some people have all the luck !!! :P :P :P

Sandhya said...

Kanagu: I read Sachin's interview! He is Rafi and Kishore fan!


IHM: They are sort of made for each other. God bless them!


hitchwriter: You are right, Dhiren! A good wife, a daughter, a son...affectionate brother and daadi and so many others! Everyone in their family adore him and the whole world too! No one else can be this lucky...but he is working hard to earn this love. It is not easy to be an allrounder in family life too!

manju said...

Nice post, Sandhya! The Tendulkars seem like a lovely couple- and Anjali is a remarkable woman for supporting her husband so much!

radha said...

My only grouse is that she did not practise medicine. Think of it this way, she deprived some other person of a seat ( and you know how difficult it is to secure a seat in a medical college in India) and did not make use of her education.in

Sandhya said...

Manju: She is a great woman. It is not easy to cope up with the public eagle eye and concentrate in running a family, taking full responsibility of bringing up the children. It is very tough, isn't it, Manju?


Radha: She would have made a good doctor with her nature. You are right, Radha, she has deprived some other student of a medical seat and the govt. also spends a lot on every medical student.

R. Ramesh said...

ya...excellent post yar...cheers..:)

lostworld said...

Beautiful touching post :-)Thanks for sharing this.

Whether Sachin or not, I firmly believe everybody has an Anjali in their lives backing them all the way!.. and vice versa too!

Shail said...

Nice to read the interview with Anjali Tendulkar. Her life seems to be like that of any infantry officer's wife. We do things on our own, we never have them home for birthdays, school annual days or such. In fact I would say in most long distance marriages this happens. Illness or admissions or celebrations have to be managed without them. Of course in her case she is the wife of a famous man. But still kudos to the lovely lady and her family.

Sandhya said...

Ramesh: Thank you.


lostworld: You are right!


Shail: Your comparison is very right, Shail. I always admire the family of armymen. It must be tough for them to take the family burden, all alone, most of the time.

In her case, all the eyes will be on her, always, because of who she is, which is more difficult.

Renu said...

I also loved her in that interview..but I only feel that she deprived many patients who could get a doctor.

R. Ramesh said...

shukria..friend.

Destination Infinity said...

Being rich or famous is not a sure shot way to happiness! Everything comes with a price. But she has handled it very well, I guess.

Destination Infinity

Sandhya said...

Renu: She had specialised also. This is wrong on her part, though.


Destination Infinity: It is not easy to be a wife of a celebrity, you know.

Bhavesh Chhatbar said...

Just as I'm lucky to marry my wife :) Only that Sachin has much more strength to put in for his career :)

Peacocks [Mor, मोर] of Morachi Chincholi [मोराची चिंचोली]

Haddock said...

His daughter looks like him.

Sandhya said...

Bhavesh Chhatbar: At least you are acknowledging your wife and that is good!


Haddock: Yes, she is a replica of her father! Welcome here, Haddock!

Tech Shankar said...

Hi. I love Your post. I love Sachin the Master.
Have a look @ here too.

Anjali Tendulkar Rare Photos

A Blog for Edutainment said...

Hi. I love Your post. I love Sachin the Master.
Have a look @ here too.

Anjali Tendulkar Rare Photos

Sandhya said...

Tech.Shankar: Welcome here!

Thanks for the beautiful photographs.

Unknown said...

Nice article. Because I have always read about Mr Sachin Tendulkar but never ever has came across to read about anything for Anjali Tendulkar. I think she is really a power and spirit behind this great man. Devoted her life after family and husband for which Indian women are well known and respected over world wide.

Sandhya said...

Soniya: Welcome here, Soniya!

Yes, she seems to be a true Indian wife! She is not a practising doctor now,but full-time mother and wife!

Shalet Jimmy said...

Kudos to Anjali....

Anonymous said...

She sounds like a very balanced person. Nice interview. Thanks for sharing!

Sandhya said...

SHALET JIMMY: Welcome to my space, Shalet! Yes, she is the backbone for Sachin!


DREAMYSAP: Welcome here, Sapna!

Yes, she is!

Unknown said...

thats why we know him as god of cricket

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