Sachin Tendulkar supports Skill India campaign

The Skill India Mission has received a much-needed boost after youth icon Sachin Tendulkar agreed to endorse it. The legendary cricketer has appeared in the "I Support Skill India" campaign of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).

Executed by Ogilvy India, the video campaign features the ace cricketer in a casual conversation with a carpenter who has created a stunning wooden chair. Appreciating his skill, Tendulkar praises his work. The carpenter, on the other hand, feels that he has not achieved much in life. At this point, Tendulkar interrupts him to highlight on the importance of recognising a skill and honing it. The film ends with the tagline "Kausal Bharat, Kushal Bharat".

The "I Support Skill India" campaign is an endeavour to galvanise all stakeholders across states, organisations, and industries, to bring value and respect to skills and standardise the ecosystem to address human resource requirements. The aim is to raise the standard of living for many at the lower rung of the pyramid by ensuring better wages and dignity of labour.

Commenting on the endorsement by Tendulkar, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (Independent Charge) and Parliamentary Affairs, says, "It is imperative that we build respect for skills and that is exactly the idea behind our new campaign. It is a step towards sensitising society and achieving our mandate to create a skilled India. Tendulkar is one of the greatest Indian stories of our times. He is a true global icon and a brand in himself to have disrupted the game of cricket through his skillsets, and inspired generations."

Talking about the campaign, Piyush Pandey, executive chairman and creative director, Ogilvy South Asia, notes, "We have a lot of talent in this country which needs to be trained and made ready to live up to India's dream of a happy and prosperous country. I am glad that Tendulkar has chosen to be one of the leaders in sharing with people of India that degrees are not the only thing that matter, happiness is achieved by each one of us taking pride in what we may be good at. I hope every youngster gets the message and becomes as skilled in the area of his/her interest as Tendulkar is in his field of expertise."

The Ministry, which has set a target to skill 40.2 crore youth by the year 2022, had earlier introduced its flagship scheme Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) which is the world's largest monetary reward scheme promoting skill development to those who need financial support.