Batting great Sachin Tendulkar on Tuesday stressed on the need for the inclusion of sports in school syllabi as he believes lessons learnt on the field come in handy in life.

Sachin, who was here to celebrate Universal Children’s Day, said: “When sports and education go together, it creates harmony. I would like to see sports included in all schools and make it mandatory.”

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“It (sports) doesn’t recognise the colour of skin, know your bank balance, or differentiate between a boy or girl. It doesn’t discriminate. That is best for children. It helps in the overall development,” Sachin, who is one of the UNICEF brand ambassador, added.

Meanwhile, the 45-year-old advised the children, who were at a function to celebrate Universal Children’s Day, to be fearless in life.

“You have to be fearless but not careless. You have teachers to give direction to your life. Good individuals in the dressing room make a good team,” Sachin explained.

The batting legend also showered praise on sprint runner Hima Das, terming her as an inspiration for many.

“When it comes to women’s contribution. We have seen how much they have achieved. Hima Das has become an ambassador and all want to be her. I want to encourage, especially the girl child, to take up sports and bring laurels to nation,” Sachin said.

The former cricketer also stressed on the importance of hygiene and said: “Hygiene and sanitation in each school should be the focus. There are reports that girls can’t go to school because they can’t use the washroom.”

“We need to change this,” he concluded.