Legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar recalled his 50th birthday celebrations in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra and expressed his support for the promotion of Indian beaches. Sachin took to social media to share a video and a picture from his birthday celebrations and praised the coastal town for its 'gorgeous locations' as well as 'wonderful hospitality'. The post came amid a strong push on social media to promote local beaches in India instead of foreign beach locations.
"250 days since we rang in my 50th birthday in Sindhudurg! The coastal town offered everything we wanted, and more. Gorgeous locations combined with wonderful hospitality left us with a treasure trove of memories. India is blessed with beautiful coastlines and pristine islands. With our “Atithi Devo Bhava” philosophy, we have so much to explore, so many memories waiting to be created. #ExploreIndianIslands," Sachin posted on X (formerly known as Twitter).
250+ days since we rang in my 50th birthday in Sindhudurg!
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) January 7, 2024
The coastal town offered everything we wanted, and more. Gorgeous locations combined with wonderful hospitality left us with a treasure trove of memories.
India is blessed with beautiful coastlines and pristine… pic.twitter.com/DUCM0NmNCz
Tendulkar's reaction came amid a row over a tweet by a Maldives minister days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the Lakshadweep archipelago. Since the controversy erupted, many Indians on social media have claimed that they have cancelled their planned holidays to the island nation.
The controversy stems from a tweet by a Maldives minister, accusing India of targeting the nation and asserting that India faces challenges in competing with the Maldives in beach tourism.
Many on social media have shared purported screenshots of their cancelled air travel and hotel bookings. Additionally '#BoycottMaldives' is also one of the top trends on X in India.
The diplomatic tension between India and the Maldives has spiked in recent months, particularly after President Mohamed Muizzu assumed office in November last year.
The new president has indicated a shift in foreign policy, signaling closer ties with China and a departure from the previous "India first" approach.
Hello, my name is Jack Sparrow. I'm a 50 year old self-employed Pirate from the Caribbean.