Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar met President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday, accompanied by his wife, Anjali, and daughter, Sara.

“Honourable President and me talked about the World Cup hockey in Bhubaneswar, which I saw sitting alongside my friend Dilip Tirkey. We spoke about food in Odisha. As I walked through the corridors of Rashtrapati Bhavan, I saw portraits of our freedom fighters adorning the walls. It gave me goosebumps,” Tendulkar said.

Earlier on Saturday, the 51-year-old was honoured with the Col. CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award at the BCCI Awards in Mumbai. The Master Blaster still holds the records for the most runs in Tests and ODIs, as well as the unique feat of scoring 100 centuries.

Known as the ‘God of Cricket,’ Tendulkar is celebrated for his unparalleled skill and mastery in the game, entertaining fans worldwide from 1989 to 2013. The Maharashtra-born player made his Test debut on November 15, 1989, at the age of 16, and played his first ODI on December 18 of the same year.

With 34,357 runs in 664 international appearances at an average of 48.52, Tendulkar remains the highest run-scorer in international cricket. He has 100 centuries and 164 half-centuries to his name, records unmatched in the sport’s history. Tendulkar was the first cricketer to achieve a double century in ODIs and played a record 200 Test matches.

In ODIs, he amassed 18,426 runs at an average of 44.83, including 49 centuries and 96 half-centuries. In Tests, he scored 15,921 runs at an average of 53.78, with 51 centuries and 68 fifties. Tendulkar was also part of India’s ICC Cricket World Cup-winning team in 2011, achieving his lifelong dream after his World Cup debut in 1992.

(ANI)