A picture of cricketer Sachin Tendulkar shouldering a funeral bier is viral on social media with captions purportedly claiming that the cricketer was attending the last rites of social activist Sindhutai Sapkal.
BOOM found that the viral picture is from January 2019 when Tendulkar had attended his coach Ramakant Achrekar's funeral in Mumbai.
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The image is viral in the backdrop of the recent death of social activist Sindhutai Sapkal following a heart attack in Pune on January 4, 2022.
The viral picture shows Tendulkar shouldering a bier. A caption in Marathi over the picture translates to 'Today, I learnt that more than awards, actions are important. Because today, a Padmashree awardee was lent a shoulder by a Bharat Ratna. Condolences Maai'.
Sindhutai Sakpal was fondly referred to as Maai. She had received the Padma Shri award in 2021. It may be noted here that Ramakant Achrekar had also received Padma Shri in 2010.
(Marathi: आज एक गोष्ट समजली, पुरस्कार महत्वाचा नसून कर्तृत्व महत्वाचं असतं … कारण आज एका पद्मश्रीला भारतरत्नाने खांदा दिला. भावपूर्ण श्रद्धांजली माई)
A Marathi caption with a Facebook post sharing the picture translates to 'Mother of orphans last message'.
(Marathi: !!अनाथांची माय निरोप अखेरचा!!)
The picture has been shared from several Facebook pages.
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Fact Check
BOOM did a reverse image search on the picture and found the same in several news reports from 2019.
The caption with the same image published in an India Today on January 3, 2019 read 'Sachin Tendulkar's coach Ramakant Achrekar dies: The batting great took part in the procession to the crematorium on Thursday'. The picture credit was given to Viral Bhayani's Instagram page.
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According to the report, the last rites of the renowned cricket coach was performed on January 3, 2019. He had died of age related ailments. The report further added that Tendulkar was in attendance for his coach's funeral.
BOOM also checked news reports and images from Sindhutai Sapkal's funeral that was held on January 5 in Pune. However, we found no such report or image which confirmed that Tendulkar had attended Sapkal's funeral.
Who Was Sindhutai Sapkal?
Fondly known as 'Anathanchi Maye' or the mother of orphans, Sindhutai Sapkal was a social worker. She was born on November 14, 1948 and breathed her last on January 4, 2022 in Pune. She ran an orphanage - Sanmati Bal Niketan Sanstha - in Pune. According to a report published in Indian Express, Sindhutai had adopted over 1,000 orphan children.
Sapkal was awarded the Padam Shri award in 2021.
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