Sachin Tendulkar wants India's young guns to come out and play sport

Shanghai: Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar was yesterday inducted as one of the five new members into the prestigious Laureus Sports Academy in a glittering annual awards ceremony at the Shanghai Grand theatre here.


New Laureus Academy member Sachin Tendulkar talks to presenter Chen Chen 

"It is a huge honour standing here, being a new member of the Laureus Academy. I never thought that I will be sharing the stage with guys whom I watched growing up," Tendulkar told a packed audience that included the who's who of the global sporting fraternity.

"(A) Majority of India's population is below 25 years old and they exercise their thumbs these days. So I would like to encourage the youngsters back home to engage themselves in sports, get out and play sport and get healthy and fitter," added Tendulkar, who turns 42 next week.

Besides Tendulkar, retired Chinese professional basketball player Yao Ming, Kenyan long-distance runner Tegla Loroupe, Chinese gymnast Li Xiaopeng and former Chinese short track speed skater Yang Yang were the other athletes to be inducted into the Laureus Academy.