Tendulkar to light up villages

New Delhi (PTI): Cricketing icon Sachin Tendulkar and Schneider Electric have joined hands to provide cheap, efficient and eco-friendly electrification in the rural areas in the country.A "Sachin Tendulkar and Schneider Electric India have come together for 'Spreading Happiness', a non profit organisation, to provide access to rural electrification by installing solar home lighting systems for the benefit of over 25,000 villagers in India," Schenider Electric said in a release.

The initiative has already rolled out a pilot project in Nashik (Maharashtra) and is currently impacting over 1,000 villagers, it added.A Commenting on the initiative, Tendulkar said: "As a country we cannot have our citizens still struggle with darkness in their lives with the setting of the sun."

CAB to celebrate Sachin birthday Kolkata: The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) celebrated Sachin Tendulkar's 40th birthday one day in advance by cutting a 10-pound cake in the presence of 100 blind students.

The blind students from Narendrapur Ramakrishna Mission Blind School and Light House for the Blind cut the cake in the evening. "We are overwhelmed with joy. We want Tendulkar to live 100 years," a message from the CAB read. With 40-pound cake cutting ceremony being a private affair near the dressing room, the CAB arranged it for the media today, a CAB official said.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians abandoned their practice session and did not turn up at the Eden Gardens following heavy showers and thunderstorm.