Tendulkar finds inspiration in differently-abled boy

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has shared an "inspirational video" of a differently-abled boy from Chhattisgarh's Naxal-hit Dantewada district on social media.

In the video shared by the former India batsman on Twitter on Wednesday, 12-year-old Madda Ram Kawasi is seen hitting the ball and crawling to complete a run using his right hand while holding the bat with the left.

"Start your 2020 with the inspirational video of this kid Madda Ram playing cricket with his friends. It warmed my heart and I am sure it will warm yours too," Tendulkar said in his Twitter post.

A native of Benglur village under Katkalyan development block, Madda is afflicted by polio and studies in Class 7 at a government school.

The video, shot by some locals last month, was shared on WhatsApp groups and posted on Facebook by a Dantewada-based NGO, following which it went viral, a local official said.

Officials of the district education department visited the village on Thursday and gifted the boy a cricket kit and a tricycle.

"When we informed Madda that the 'god of cricket' had shared his video, the boy was thrilled. He is truly an inspiration to children from the naxal-affected area and all of us," Dantewada district education officer Rajesh Karma told PTI.

Madda has a passion for the game and teachers have been watching him play for the last one year, the official said, adding that the boy had made his bat himself.

"We have gifted Madda a cricket kit and a tricycle. We will continue to support him in his game and studies," Karma said.