Tendulkar moves into new ‘dream’ home

Sachin Tendulkar, center, receives flowers from school children who arrived to greet him after he moved to his new house in Bandra in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Sachin Tendulkar on Wednesday fulfilled his long cherished dream of living in a house of his own, as he moved into a sprawling bungalow at Perry Cross Road in suburban Bandra here.

Tendulkar has shifted his residence from La Mer Housing Society, also in Bandra west, to the spacious villa that is spread over 6,000 square feet.

“Everyone has a dream of owning a house. I, too, had this dream. I am happy that I was able to fulfil it. The flat where I earlier used to live, I had received it under the sports quota. I have now vacated that place, so that some other sportsman can live there,” he told reporters outside his villa here on Wednesday.

“We had done the ‘gruha shanti’ and ‘vastu—puja’ on June 11, before I left for England. I could not visit Mumbai after that, but now that I am in the city, today I brought my mother to show the place,” the senior cricketer said.

“I have also lived here after the puja. But I have not been able to bring the children here yet,” he said.

The batting maestro’s new home has been reconstructed on a plot that earlier housed a dilapidated bungalow, which Sachin had bought for Rs 39 crore in 2007.

The villa has been secured with high—walled fencing to avoid curious onlookers. CCTV cameras and sensors have also been installed.

Tendulkar is currently out of action as he is suffering from an inflammation on his toe. He missed the five ODIs against England and he is not playing in the ongoing Champions League Twenty20 tournament. He’s likely to miss at least the first two ODIs against the visiting England side next month.

Asked about the status of his injuries, Tendulkar refused to comment.

Meanwhile, chaos prevailed just before Tendulkar spoke to the media, after a big crowd, including school children between the age group of five and eight years, had gathered outside the new villa to catch a glimpse of him.

With the waiting mediamen and the fans getting impatient, a commotion occurred which resulted to a few children suffering minor injuries.

Earlier in the morning, members of the Awami Welfare Association Maharashtra, got into an argument with the members of the housing society, opposite Tendulkar’s villa, over displaying a welcome banner for the champion cricketer.

However, the matter was soon resolved and the banner was finally put up.