Sachin Tendulkar to be EC's national icon

Former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar will become a “national icon” of the Election Commission (EC) and spread awareness regarding the need for greater voter participation in the electoral process. The poll body will sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Mr. Tendulkar in the national capital on Wednesday. It will be a three-year agreement as part of which the cricketing legend will spread voter awareness.

The EC’s decision to appoint Tendulkar as its national icon is a significant step towards encouraging greater voter participation in India. Tendulkar’s popularity and influence among the youth make him a powerful force for good, and he is sure to make a positive impact on the electoral process.

About the Collaboration

This collaboration will mark a significant step towards leveraging Mr. Tendulkar’s unparalleled impact with the youth for increasing voters’ participation in the forthcoming elections, especially in General Elections 2024, the EC said in a statement. Through this partnership, the EC aims to bridge the gap between citizens, especially youth and urban populations, and the electoral process thereby, trying to address the challenges of urban and youth apathy, it said.

The Commission had last year recognised actor Pankaj Tripathi as a national icon. Earlier, during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni, actor Aamir Khan and boxer Mary Kom had been the poll body’s national icons.

Here are some of the reasons why Sachin Tendulkar is special: