Thank you – these two words very much summed up India‘s mood on 16 December when Tendulkar bowed out from all forms of cricket. The legend carried the hopes and aspirations of a billion people and it was only apt when fans stood up to salute a hero who had united India like nobody else in the past 25 years. Tendulkar’s formidable cricketing records aside, most people will remember him as a player who remained humble and grounded despite his stardom. The news about his retirement, arguably the biggest story of the year, sparked emotions of sadness, joy and pride in the media as writers filled pages with what can be best described as their love for the Little Master, as Tendulkar was fondly called.