Father

Ramesh Tendulkar
What Sachin said: The most, the most important person in my life and I have missed him a lot... my father.... He gave me freedom at the age of 11, and told me that ‘chase your dreams, but make sure you don’t find shortcuts’.... Every time, every time I have done something special, whenever I’ve showed my bat, it was (for) my father. So I miss him today

Mother

Rajni Tendulkar
What Sachin said: For a mother the most important thing is that her child remains safe and healthy and fit and that’s what she was most bothered about and worried about.... The day I started playing cricket, she just prayed and prayed and prayed and I think her prayers and blessings have given me the strength to go out and perform.

After the farewell speech, Sachin ran up the stairs to his mother in the VIP box. He bent down and she blessed him, hand wrapped in japamala. She was seen praying through the match

Wife

Anjali
What Sachin said: The most beautiful thing happened to me in 1990 when I met my wife Anjali. Those were special years and it has continued and it will always continue that way....Thanks for bearing with all my fuss and all my frustrations, and all sorts of rubbish that I have spoken. Thanks for bearing with me and always staying by my side through all the ups and downs. You are the best partnership I’ve had in my life

Children

Sara and Arjun
What Sachin said: The two precious diamonds of my life. They’ve already grown up, you know. My daughter is 16, my son is 14. Time has flown by. I wanted to spend so much time with them on special occasions like their birthdays, their annual day, sports day, going on holidays, whatever. I’ve missed out on all those things. Thanks for your understanding, both of you have been so, so special to me. You cannot imagine. I promise you... the next 16 years and even beyond that, everything is for you

In-laws

Anand Mehta and Annabel
What Sachin said: Both have been so, so supportive, loving, caring. I’ve discussed various things in life generally with them and taken their advice. You know it’s so important to have a strong family that is always with you and guiding you. Before you start clapping, the most important thing they did was allowing me to marry Anjali!

After his mother, Sachin went to his mother-in-law and put an arm around her neck before pressing his face on her cheeks. He shook hands with his father-in-law

Uncle and aunt

Suresh and Mangala Tendulkar
What Sachin said: In my schooldays, for four years I stayed with my uncle and my aunt because my school was quite far off from my home and they treated me like their son. My aunt... after having had a hard day’s play I would be half-asleep, and she would be feeding me food so that I could go and play again tomorrow

Coach

Ramakant Achrekar
What Sachin said: In the last 29 years, Sir has never ever said ‘well played’ to me because he thought I would get complacent and I would stop working hard. Maybe he can, he can push his luck and wish me now ‘well done’ on my career because there are no more matches, Sir, in my life

Eldest brother

Nitin
What Sachin said: The one thing he always told me that ‘whatever you do I know you would give 100 per cent and I have full confidence and faith in you’. His encouragement meant a lot to me

Elder brother

Ajit
What Sachin said: Ajit, my brother. Now what do I talk about him? I don’t know... we’ve lived this dream together. He was the one who sacrificed his career for my cricket. He spotted the spark in me and it all started from the age of 11 when he took me to Achrekar Sir... You will find this hard to believe that even last night he called me and we were discussing my dismissal.

Before he entered the VIP box to meet his mother, Sachin stopped briefly to talk to Ajit on the balcony

Peers

What Sachin said: You see it on the mega screen, Rahul, Sourav, Laxman, Anil is not here. And my teammates right here in front of me. You are like my family away from home

Doctors, physios, trainers

What Sachin said: The amount of injuries that I’ve had in my career, I don’t know how you’ve managed to keep me fit. But without your special efforts it would never have happened. The doctors have met me at weird hours. They have just taken the next flight and left their work and families to be with me

First Manager

Mark Mascarenhas
What Sachin said: My dear friend Late Mark Mascarenhas, my first manager. He understood what it takes to represent a nation and gave me all the space to go out and express myself and never pressurised me to do this ad or promotion; whatever my sponsors demanded he took care of all that and today I miss him

Manager

Vinod Naidu
What Sachin said: He’s more like my family and all the sacrifices, spending time away from his family for my work, has been special. So a big thank you to your family as well for giving so much time for my work, to Vinod

Media

What Sachin said: In my schooldays when I performed well the media backed me a lot. You continued to do that till this morning. It surely had a positive effect on me. To all the photographers as well, those wonderful captured moments will stay with me for the rest of my life

Fans

What Sachin said: I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart and also say that time has flown by rather quickly but the memories that you’ve left with me will always be with me for ever and ever. Especially ‘Sachin Sachin’ that will reverberate in my ears till I stop breathing