Sachin Who????????????????????????????????????????????????????

I can bet that tennis star Maria Sharapova has been asked numerous
questions during her lifetime. I can also say confidently that she has
replied I dont know to many of them. But all of a sudden this reply of
hers to one of the questions seems to have shaken the collective
consciousness of the country of over a billion people to such an extent,
that a war of words has been declared on her. Maybe the question Do
you know who Sachin is? is not a mere collection of six words
The controversy raging has led me to ask myself this question. Who is
Sachin Tendulkar? A man in flesh and blood, or a myth woven out of
the time, or a legend buried deep in past. I remember once being an
ardent cricket fan following the campaigns of Team India religiously. It
was back when IPL was nowhere in picture and the only glam quotient
cricket could offer was the colorful uniforms of the teams under
floodlights in Sharjah.
I remember going nuts, when Sachin singlehandedly cruised India to
qualify against Australia and then again play a pivotal role in sealing the
final for India at Sharjah. I held my breath when he lifted Akthar for six.
I remember switching off television when he got out early, though it
was grossly unfair to the others playing whose talent and dedication for
India was no less.
But perhaps that is the way of hero worship. The blind fanaticism
towards an idea or an individual which for long has been classified by
scholars to be a characteristic of the so called ignorant masses seemed
to be turned on its head here. This was blind fanaticism and hero
worship all right, but not of the ignorant or poor masses. It included
major chunk of the tech savvy middle class. A middle class of a country
which was growing and opening its eyes to new world and new
opportunities. People looking at transforming world scenario which
promised of instant success and fame. A new era was starting and as
sung by John Lennon all that was needed was a working class hero. And
then came Sachin.
All of a sudden, everything changed. A working class guy devoid of
golden spoon or influence, on basis of sheer talent and energy rose up
to become a legend in his field. He humbled the greats, accepted the
laurels with humility, never a sign of anger nor an iota of rage. The
advertisers had found the perfect icon, not even chiseled works of
Greek art and renaissance paintings could hold the sway over people
like this person. Those in position of power and with riches clamored to
seek his attention. Those who didnt have time for anything waited for
days just to get a glimpse of him. Offers, endorsements, riches and
honors were showered upon him like monsoon. But no amount of
credit could make him dizzy, he scaled one summit after another with
the same humility that he had shown in slamming the greatest left arm
seamer in world as a 17 year old kid. The triumph of the Indian middle
class was complete.
So when miss Sharapova expressed his ignorance about Sachin, she
somehow unknowingly stepped on toes of the Indian middle class. By
denying any knowledge of Sachin, she denied the knowledge of a
miracle which the Indian middle class has seen unfold before its eyes.
That a working class hero did rise to carve his name in elite. The
backlash she seems to be receiving in form of numerous tweets and
comments may appear unwarranted or even childish to neutral
observer. But I realized that Sachin is not just a sportsman, or a legend
in his field. He is now an identity for a generation, one which grew up in
a world which was pacing up towards cut throat competition and fast
paced life style. A world of instability and upheavals in life, job and
relations. A world where nothing seems to last. In that world thousands
like me hold on to Sachin the icon, Sachin the idea..not Sachin the
sports man.
The reaction to Sharapovas genuine ignorance is in no way justified.
This online spat is just making us laughing stock of the world. A more
mature gesture would have been to send her an invite to Sachins fan
club with best wishes for her tennis carrear. We are in a process of
learning, and maybe it is time for us to accept that words spoken
unintentionally or even deliberately cannot take away deeds cemented
in time. Maybe that would be the best tribute to our working class
hero.