Sachin 24, modern India 32

Dilip Vengsarkar narrates the story with great aplomb.

The year was 2006. He and his wife Manali were invited by the great Shammi Kapoor on the occasion of the actor's 75th birthday. Vengsarkar was a little unsure about how he could choose a gift for someone who seemingly has everything. Shammi made it simple for him. "Bring Tendulkar with you. That will be the best birthday gift."

Now Vengsarkar did not know how to handle this. Despite his closeness with Sachin, deep down he knew how busy Sachin was on any given day of the week. But the film star of yesteryears seemed so keen that he requested Sachin, who was half willing. Sachin explained in detail to his first Mumbai captain that on the given day he had other commitments. But Vengsarkar would hear none of it. Finally, Sachin gave up and said, let me try to drop in for a little while.

The next day when Vengsarkar reached the celebrated actor's house, the first thing he heard was that Sachin had already left. So Vengsarkar walked up to the host and said "Shammi Ji, now you must be immensely happy and fulfilled." Well, the veteran actor hardly seemed like one.

Instead, he was grumbling, "Please bring him again. I hardly got a chance to speak to Sachin. Dilip had almost monopolized him."

Dilip of course was Dilip Kumar. Now this conversation was hardly surprising as one had discovered while requesting the legendary actor for his foreword for a book I was doing on Sachin. Look, Dilip Kumar had never met me even once in his life. Neither was he told anything about the antecedents of the author. I approached him as a stranger to write the foreword for SACH. Dilip Kumar's secretary De Souza took the call and in the coming 15 minutes confirmed the news that Saab will be writing. The article arrived duly. Eliminating the likely threat of a deadline miss.

Unbelievable. But explainable as Tendulkar, by then had become the biggest password his country had ever seen during the quarter of a century he had donned Indian colours. Much outside the realm of Cricket, a very important period in post-independent Indian history that marked itself from 1989-2013. An era which also symbolized India's growing progress as a global power. With the advent of satellite television in her own backyard she became a happy hunting place for the multi-nationals. The Indian industry was finally let loose to get free from the clutches of the license raj and the atrocities that went with it.

Sachin with his superhuman exploits with the cricket bat somehow became the torchbearer of an emerging, exotic, free-spirited modern India. If a silent change was taking place he seemed to be the ambassador of that. While Gavaskar's India was uncertain and repeatedly went on venting a wave of anger at the existing system, Sachin's universe seemed happier. One that was liberated in more ways than one and engaged herself in trying to conquer frontiers. At a time when Sachin was winning all over the world and creating new benchmarks, there was no historical baggage, no bitterness of the past. Only the excellence of an Indian maestro was on display.

The prodigy had arrived on the international cricketing horizon in 1989. Much before Indian IT professionals, Chicken Tikka or Bollywood had begun to cast their spell on the global market. He was two years senior to the huge economic change that had revolutionized the Indian economy and perhaps benefited most from it. The big brands simply loved him and Sachin simultaneously justified the huge investments in his cricketing prowess by dominating the world with his willow.

I remember meeting him for the first time when he had not even turned out for Mumbai and was only 14. A thin, gawky, shy teenager who hardly finished a sentence. And during the major part of the interview was looking down, speaking to himself out of sheer discomfort. From there to his iconic closing speech at the Wankhede Stadium in November 2013 was progress that can't simply be measured. In one sentence Sachin moved as rapidly as the nation.

Raj Thackeray was not just funny but drove home a point when post-Sachin's retirement in Mumbai at the exclusive dinner held by the family, he brought the entire house down by saying, "When we hit someone, people complain, "Kyu mara". But when Sachin hits — the country gets up to say, "Keya mara."

On to another story. According to music industry sources, the late Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle did not share the best of relations, while the former was alive. The Nightingale of India had gone on record in one of her interviews that despite being in the same building, she and Asha never ever did 'riyaz' together. But the so-called animosity between them did not stop the iconic sisters from summoning Tendulkar to their Prabhukunj residence.

Unconfirmed sources reveal that both were shell-shocked hearing that Tendulkar was about to hang in his boots. It was an extremely personal moment that did not get captured in a video. Otherwise, it would have gone down as a timeless clip where the two sisters kept on cajoling and requesting that Tendulkar should not give up. Both said if we are still singing why would you give up at such an early age? Tendulkar, after nearly half an hour's discussion, finally managed to convince them that much unlike music, in sport there are physical attributes to emerge successful. And because of repeated injuries, he lacked that cricketing fitness.

The late Jagjit Singh was a huge cricket lover and a great admirer of Sachin. He used to say the Taj Mahal, Lata Mangeshkar and Sachin Tendulkar were priceless. Timeless. Jagjit had quipped, "If I were to sing for him I would dedicate my favourite song to him — Yeh daulat bhi le lo,Yeh shohrat bhi le lo. Woh kagaj ka kasti o barish ka pani." The firebrand T N Seshan had said," Myself and Sachin in one team would have been good as like me he also can't stand mediocrity. Also, his face can always be used by the Election Commission as it stands as a symbol of Credibility and Neutrality. Sharmila Tagore felt Sachin remained in the Satyajit Ray class which for her, remained the ultimate benchmark for excellence.

There were unmistakable features that featured Sachin's astronomical ride to the top. To start with a relentless pursuit to become and remain the best of his craft. Two, continuous innovation to evolve newer fresher skill sets. Three, keeping the mind completely focused on the job. Four, never lost sight of the sentiments of the nation and the billions of her countrymen.

Irrespective of your profession, colour, creed or religion Sachin taught you, not to take inborn talent and adulation for granted. Despite being so well endowed with cricketing skills he worked at it day in and day out like daily labour would for earning his wages.

Tendulkar's 24 years at the batting crease remained the ultimate cherry on top of modern India's 32-year reign post-economic liberalization. So while he is 50 today in the Indian history books, Tendulkar will remain an immortal 24. As his playing years signified more than a two-decade-long civilization. He had set up a Raj, that in future, people will look back on in wonder. An era that can't be bettered or emulated. People covering him quite often transcended the Wagah border of myth and reality. Trust me, at times it was impossible to separate truth from magic realism.

Cardus said of Ranji, Did he actually happen? Or was he a dream, dreamt on a midsummer's night?

The genius of Tendulkar was the same. It took you to the world of fairies and made you tizzy. Did we actually see him? Did I actually cover his matches sitting at various press boxes around the world? Did I actually do multiple interviews with him?

Now that the magic show has ended you still look back at it and feel as a journalist the greatest privilege was to get an opportunity to cover the life and times of Tendulkar. There was no one before as surreal as him. There will be no one hereafter.

An entire nation moved with his willow. And while that economically liberated nation marches on to her 32nd year. Tendulkar completes 50. How unique is that?

Happy birthday Grandmaster and for taking us through this magical ride — extremely thankful that you happened in our era! Enough stories I have accumulated for the grandchildren! The only fear is that they might think I was exaggerating.

The writer currently the Joint Editor of Kolkata TV is a cricket writer for four decades and covered Sachin’s journey from the beginning