Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has been named a goodwill ambassador of the Indian Olympic Association for Rio 2016 ©Getty Images

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has been named a goodwill ambassador of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) for Rio 2016 amid the controversy surrounding Bollywood star Salman Khan’s appointment.

Tendulkar, widely regarded as the greatest batsmen of all time, has accepted an offer from the IOA to work alongside Khan, who has had an online petition launched against his selection as an ambassador.

"I have had the privilege and honour of representing our nation for 25 years and I continue to bat for India off the field," Tendulkar wrote in a letter to IOA chiefs.

"The welfare of sportspersons and encouraging them to give their best is dear to me."

Also named as an ambassador is former shooting world champion Abhinav Bindra, the first Indian to win an individual gold medal at an Olympic Games when he won 10 metre air rifle gold at Beijing 2008, and Oscar-winning musician AR Rahman.

Bindra's appointment comes after Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir, captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders, had suggested that he would have been a better choice than Khan.

The petition against Khan has been started by Aishwarya Rai, who shouldn’t be confused with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan - a Bollywood actress who had a two-year relationship with the 50-year-old actor from 1999 to 2001.

The petition describes the appointment of Khan, who was cleared last year of killing a homeless man in a hit-and-run crash, as a move that is "regressive" and "reflects negatively on India".

Indian shooter Abhinav Bindra has also been named an IOA ambassador for Rio 2016
Indian shooter Abhinav Bindra has also been named an IOA ambassador for Rio 2016 ©Getty Images

Former Olympic sprinter Milkha Singh and London 2012 bronze medal-winning wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt are other prominent Indian sportsmen to have criticised the decision.

There has been support for Khan’s appointment, most notably from Bollywood superstars Hema Malini and Raza Murad and former India cricket captain Sunil Gavaskar.

The IOA has defended its decision and claimed the actor, who also currently faces a charge of illegally shooting protected antelope, is popular with young people.

Tendulkar played 200 Tests and 463 one-day-internationals for India, scoring 100 centuries before retiring in 2013.

"It will be my pleasure and an honour to meet these world-class athletes before they leave for Rio to learn their experience and preparations," he added in his letter.   

"I am also happy to be part of any awareness campaign that can rally the country around our athletes and motivate them, including amplifying their efforts and success on my Twitter and Facebook accounts."