Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai

Mumbai, Oct 13: The charm of Sachin Tendulkar lies not just in his cricketing prowess, but also in his gratitude towards those who shaped his journey. On Friday, during the launch of his sportswear and athleisure brand in Mumbai, the cricketing legend fondly recalled a gesture from his early days—a gift of cricket shoes from close friend and Mumbai teammate Pravin Amre.

Tendulkar shared that Amre, his senior by four years at Shardashram Vidyamandir school, had promised to gift him a pair of shoes once he scored a century in inter-school cricket. “So, when I scored a hundred, I didn’t have the guts to tell him he had promised me a pair. But Pravin himself came to me, and the first good-quality pair of shoes of my life was given to me! I cannot forget that,” Tendulkar said.

He reminisced how his first practice sessions under childhood coach Ramakant Achrekar were in plain white canvas shoes, and the fancy spiked shoes from Amre made a lasting impression.

Reacting to Tendulkar’s acknowledgment, Amre, present at the event alongside former India players Ajit Agarkar and Kiran More, expressed surprise and pride. “I just didn’t expect Sachin to say that! I was really overwhelmed that he still remembered this gesture even after so many years. These were imported spike shoes—you didn’t get such shoes in India back then. I feel so proud that I gifted them to the right person, who went on to become perhaps the greatest cricketer ever,” Amre said.

Amre added, “After the programme, I told him it was just a small thing I did for him. But he replied that at that point in his life, it was a big thing for him!”

The heartwarming anecdote underscores Tendulkar’s humility and his habit of remembering the small acts of kindness that shaped his extraordinary career.