Sachin Tendulkar urges youngsters to stop being couch potatoes, teaches importance of fitness

Mumbai: Urging the younger lot of the country to become healthy by taking part in sporting activities, batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar reminded them that "young and unhealthy population is a perfect recipe for disaster."

"By 2020 India is set to be the youngest nation by population. But in obesity we are number three. A young and unhealthy population is a perfect recipe for disaster. What India needs is more participation in sporting activities," said the cricket legend after being announced as Sony Pictures Networks Indias Ambassador for Sports at a function here.

SPN also announced the launch of two new sports channels, Sony Ten 2 HD and Sony Ten 3 HD, bringing its overall number of sports channels to eleven, including six HD channels.

"Sports is my life, it is like oxygen to me, it is difficult to live without it. So many people call it a profession, I don't like to call it a profession; I call it a passion. I have always been passionate about sports," said Tendulkar.

He also expected Indian spectators to gather in big numbers and cheer the national under 17 team during the October 6-27 FIFA Under 17 World Cup to be held in six cities in the country.

"I stared when I was 16, so you will see some world class players playing and I am looking forward to this tournament. A World Cup in any sport is competition at the highest level with players not wanting to compromise or give even an inch to the others. I was in Rio (last year during the Olympic Games) and saw rugby 8 featuring women. I never knew it will be so physical. It was incredible to watch," said the scorer of 100 international hundreds.

"It (FIFA under 17 World Cup) is a great chance for us to show our support to other sports (than cricket). I am sure spectators won't disappoint (the organisers)," said Tendulkar.

SPN have got the rights for the tournament.

About his experience at the All England club while watching Wimbledon championships and at Silverstone during the Formula 1 races the retired batting maestro said it was a great experience.

"It is fantastic because you rub shoulders with some of the champions, not just in the current era. When I was at Wimbledon I got to meet the great Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, they are all amazing personalities.

"When I got to Formula One, I get to meet such great personalities who have achieved so much. To be there and breathe and soak in that atmosphere, it is incredible.

"I remember there was a race in Silverstone which I watched when Sir Frank Williams was there and also Sir Jackie Stewart, the great Formula One champion. Actually Sir Jackie Stewart took a grid walk with me, he said 'I will take you all around and tell you more about Formula One.

"That was one race which I sat with both of them, just the three of us sat and we watched, which was an experience for me because I could actually hear what they were communicating in private and how they were planning. It was obviously supposed to be confidential and I just kept quiet as a big fan and I was just absorbing everything for a couple of hours.

"It was really enlightening because you get to see what goes beyond a Formula One race, what you see are cars going round and round the circuit, but there is much, much beyond that."

SPN India's CEO, N P Singh, announced the launch of the two new sports channels and said the network is set to telecast 990 live football games and 170 days of cricket, inclusive of those featuring India this year.

SPN have also got the rights for next year's Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia and Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.