Who Is Sachin Tendulkar's Mother-In-Law, Annabel Mehta? Wanted Daughter To Marry A Tall Man But..

Sachin Tendulkar is hailed as the God of cricket, and people from across the world aspire to be like him. While he had a humble beginning, his mindset was always clear: he wanted to excel in his cricket game from a young age. Regarding his personal life, Sachin fell in love with Anjali Mehta, who was four years his senior. But it was his mother-in-law, Annabel Mehta, who wanted her daughter to get married to a tall, handsome man.

Who is Sachin Tendulkar's mother-in-law, Annabel Mehta?

Annabel Mehta is a British national, born and brought up in Solihull, England, but fell head over heels in love with a young boy, Anand Mehta. She was then Annabel Lancaster and was completing her postgraduate studies in social administration at the London School of Economics, where she met Anand from Mumbai, who belonged to a Gujarati industrialist family. 

How did Annabel Lancaster leave England to settle with a young boy in India?

Annabel Lancaster, the youngest of her three siblings, faced considerable resistance from her family when it came to her decision to settle in India. She was already working and had her own little car and a tiny flat, but she gave it up all to be with Anand Mehta. In an interview with Rediff, Annabel talked about her decision to move to India and said:

"My family wasn't sure. I was sure. I have taken two major decisions in my life. Both of them have been opposed by my family. One was to give up music (piano, because she hated to perform) and one was to come to India. Once I make up my mind, I don't usually (change it)."

Settling in India for Annabel was easy, as the Mehtas were an affluent family, just like her parents. They greeted her with a lot of love, but she wanted to work and do something of her own, which was next to impossible as it required a 'License to Work' from the government. Since she had a car of her own, Annabel discovered that she could volunteer for an NGO and began working with one that distributed excess wedding food to the poor and hungry. 

Annabel Mehta's journey as a mom of two

Annabel Mehta took time off from her NGO work as she was pregnant. She was blessed with two daughters, Anjali Mehta and Tara Mehta. However, she lost her youngest daughter when she was just seven. She had a sudden allergic drug reaction, and they were unable to take her to the UK for special treatment. 

Annabel Mehta is the founder of Apnalaya 

Annabel Mehta's zeal to work led her to fall in love with charity work. She is known as the founder of Apnalaya, a non-profit organisation dedicated to working for underprivileged children in Mumbai. It was in her seventies that Annabel's selfless devotion to improving the lives of the less privileged paid off, as she received her MBE from Prince William at Buckingham Palace, with her family in attendance.

Annabel Mehta didn't want her daughter, Anjali Tendulkar to marry a 19-year-old boy

Annabel Mehta published her memoir, My Passage To India, wherein she talked about Master Blaster cricketer, Sachin Tendulkar, and how he met them as a young boy with bright eyes to marry their daughter. Talking about their first meeting, Annabel referred to Sachin as a sweet boy. However, she wanted to know what he thought about her daughter, Anjali and their future, as she feared he would become a 'playboy' judging by his star status as a young cricketer. 

However, Sachin was clear in his mind that he wanted to marry Anjali Tendulkar, and he immediately expressed his wish. But his words ended Annabel's dream of seeing her daughter marry a tall, handsome man. An excerpt from her memoir can be read as:

"I was astounded. I had always imagined Anjali marrying a tall dark and handsome man. Dark and handsome, Sachin was. But at nineteen, he was still a boy. And so small. Barely taller than Anjali, who is five-foot-five and a half. Sachin’s bouncy hair possibly gives him another inch, but not enough for Anjali to wear the high heels she had always loved."

Annabel Mehta lived a life on her own terms, and it was a bold step to leave everything behind and move to India for the sake of love. Her daughter, Anjali Tendulkar, also followed her heart and married Sachin Tendulkar. The mother-daughter duo, Annabel and Anjali, have successfully demonstrated that love is all we need to conquer life's challenges. 

Next Read: Sachin Tendulkar's Daughter, Sara Tendulkar Is Already A Celebrity, Courtesy Her Fashion Diaries

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