NEW DELHI: Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar was named on Tuesday as one of India’s goodwill ambassadors for the upcoming Rio Olympics following a furore over Bollywood star Salman Khan’s appointment, which was slammed as inappropriate.

Tendulkar said he accepted an offer from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to work alongside Salman, whose appointment triggered a row over whether an actor was best suited to promote sports people.

“I have had the privilege and honour of representing our nation for 25 years and I continue to bat for India off the field,” the master batsman wrote in a letter to IOA chiefs.

“The welfare of sportspersons and encouraging them to give their best is dear to me.”

The IOA named more ambassadors, including ace Indian shooter Abhinav Bindra and Oscar-winning musician A.R. Rahman, in the days after the controversy over Salman.

Olympic wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt had criticised Salman’s appointment, saying the “Olympics is not a place to promote films”. Indian sprint legend Milkha Singh had urged the government to intervene to overturn the decision.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2016