Several of India’s leading sports personalities, including cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra, have voiced support for the ongoing student protests, urging authorities to ensure a transparent, fair, and merit-based education system.
Joining them are former cricketers Yuvraj Singh, Shikhar Dhawan and Mohammad Kaif, along with Olympians Mirabai Chanu, Vinesh Phogat and Manu Bhaker, who have called for meaningful reforms to restore students’ trust in the country’s education system.
Quoting his late father, who was a professor, Sachin Tendulkar wrote that “failure is acceptable, but cheating is not. Never take shortcuts.”
He added that society must promote values where hard work is rewarded over mere results. According to Tendulkar, if success is measured only by outcomes rather than effort, people will be encouraged to seek shortcuts instead of earning success through merit.
He said it is understandable if students feel their hard work is not being recognised, adding that everyone must work together to build a system where such concerns no longer exist.
The cricket icon also said that India’s youth are full of dreams and potential, and it is the shared responsibility of parents, teachers, educational institutions, administrators and society to create an environment where honesty is encouraged, hard work is rewarded, and merit prevails.
Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra echoed similar sentiments, saying that education should remain above politics. “I have never considered myself a political figure, but I believe some issues belong to all of us, regardless of our ideologies. Education is one of them,” he wrote.
Olympic silver medalist Mirabai Chanu also expressed support for the students, saying that while many positive developments are taking place in the country, recent incidents involving students are deeply concerning. Referring to the protests in Delhi, she said she believes the students are standing up for the right cause.
Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh said that every child, student, woman and man has the right to study in a peaceful and safe environment and pursue their dreams. “Your well-being is the foundation of a brighter India. Through dialogue, we can find solutions that are acceptable for the country’s future,” he said.
Former cricketer Mohammad Kaif said it was painful, especially as a father, to see police using force against students protesting alleged shortcomings in the education system. He called for an end to the baton charge on students in Delhi and expressed hope that the issue would be resolved soon.
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