Sachin takes oath as Rajya Sabha MP

Sachin Tendulkar arrives at Parliament House to take oath as a Rajya Sabha member with his wife Anjali Tendulkar on Monday, June 4, 2012.

Sachin Tendulkar is India's first cricketer to be a member of Parliament while still playing for the country.

Tendulkar outside Parliament House on June 4, just before taking oath as a Rajya Sabha member.

Sachin Tendulkar is the only cricketer in the world to have scored a hundred centuries in international cricket.

"I believe in the last 22 years of international cricket I have played, cricket has given me so many things in life... I always have this dream of giving back to cricket... I strongly believe whatever I am today is because of cricket," Tendulkar told reporters outside Parliament on June 4, 2012.

"I will be happy if I am remembered as someone who contributed to all sports rather than just to cricket statistics. That will be fantastic," ace batsmen Sachin Tendulkar (seen here with wife Anjali) said about his stint as Rajya Sabha MP.

"I believe there might be a few obstacles and challenges, and I need help from my fellow parliamentarians, the administrators, media and our countrymen. I think together we can make lot of changes," the ace batsmen said after taking oath as Rajya Sabha MP on June 4, 2012.

Asked if he will get enough time to devote to Parliament, Sachin Tendulkar replied: "I am a nominee...I cannot take any focus away from cricket because that is where it all started for me."

Sachin Tendulkar accompanied by Harish Rawat in front of Parliament House on Monday, June 4, 2012.

Sachin had his wife Anjali on his side as he took the oath. Also present were MoS for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla and MoS in Prime Minister's Office V. Narayanaswamy.

Nominated to the Rajya Sabha on April 27, Sachin took oath in the chamber of Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari. He took his oath in Hindi.

"It is a great honour to be nominated a Rajya Sabha member and I thank all for showing faith in me and bestowing this honour," the ace batsman told reporters after the oath-taking ceremony.

President Pratibha Patil had nominated the cricket legend to Rajya Sabha along with Bollywood actor Rekha and businesswoman Anu Aga.

(L to R): Rajiv Shukla, Anjali Tendulkar, Hamid Ansari and Sachin Tendulkar in New Delhi on Monday, June 4, 2012.