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By:

Bhalchandra Chorghade

11 August 2025 at 1:54:18 pm

Applause for Cricket, Silence for Badminton

Mumbai: When Lakshya Sen walked off the court after the final of the All England Badminton Championships, he carried with him the disappointment of another near miss. The Indian shuttler went down in straight games to Lin Chun-Yi, who created history by becoming the first player from Chinese Taipei to lift the prestigious title. But the story of Lakshya Sen’s defeat is not merely about badminton final. It is also about the contrasting way India celebrates its sporting heroes. Had the same...

Applause for Cricket, Silence for Badminton

Mumbai: When Lakshya Sen walked off the court after the final of the All England Badminton Championships, he carried with him the disappointment of another near miss. The Indian shuttler went down in straight games to Lin Chun-Yi, who created history by becoming the first player from Chinese Taipei to lift the prestigious title. But the story of Lakshya Sen’s defeat is not merely about badminton final. It is also about the contrasting way India celebrates its sporting heroes. Had the same narrative unfolded on a cricket field, the reaction would have been dramatically different. In cricket, even defeat often becomes a story of heroism. A hard-fought loss by the Indian team can dominate television debates, fill newspaper columns and trend across social media for days. A player who narrowly misses a milestone is still hailed for his fighting spirit. The nation rallies around its cricketers not only in victory but also in defeat. The narrative quickly shifts from the result to the effort -- the resilience shown, the fight put up, the promise of future triumph. This emotional investment is one of the reasons cricket enjoys unparalleled popularity in India. It has built a culture where players become household names and their performances, good or bad, become part of the national conversation. Badminton Fights Contrast that with what happens in sports like badminton. Reaching the final of the All England Championships is a monumental achievement. The tournament is widely considered badminton’s equivalent of Wimbledon in prestige and tradition. Only the very best players manage to reach its final stages, and doing it twice speaks volumes about Lakshya Sen’s ability and consistency. Yet the reaction in India remained largely subdued. There were congratulatory posts, some headlines acknowledging the effort and brief discussions among badminton enthusiasts. But the level of national engagement never quite matched the magnitude of the achievement. In a cricketing context, reaching such a stage would have triggered days of celebration and analysis. In badminton, it often becomes just another sports update. Long Wait India’s wait for an All England champion continues. The last Indian to win the title was Pullela Gopichand in 2001. Before him, Prakash Padukone had scripted history in 1980. These victories remain among the most significant milestones in Indian badminton. And yet, unlike cricketing triumphs that are frequently revisited and celebrated, such achievements rarely stay in the mainstream sporting conversation for long. Lakshya Sen’s journey to the final should ideally have been viewed as a continuation of that legacy, a reminder that India still possesses the talent to challenge the world’s best in badminton. Instead, it risks fading quickly from public memory. Visibility Gap The difference ultimately comes down to visibility and cultural investment. Cricket in India is not merely a sport; it is an ecosystem built over decades through media attention, sponsorship, and mass emotional attachment. Individual sports, on the other hand, often rely on momentary bursts of recognition, usually during Olympic years or when a medal is won. But consistent performers like Lakshya Sen rarely receive the sustained spotlight that their achievements deserve. This disparity can also influence the next generation. Young athletes are naturally drawn to sports where success brings recognition, financial stability and national fame. When one sport monopolises the spotlight, others struggle to build similar appeal. Beyond Result Lakshya Sen may have finished runner-up again, but his performance at the All England Championship is a reminder that India continues to produce world-class athletes in disciplines beyond cricket. The real issue is not that cricket receives immense attention -- it deserves the admiration it gets. The concern is that athletes from other sports often do not receive comparable appreciation for achievements that are equally significant in their own arenas. If India aspires to become a truly global sporting nation, its applause must grow broader. Sporting pride cannot remain confined to one field. Because somewhere on a badminton court, an athlete like Lakshya Sen is fighting just as hard for the country’s colours as any cricketer on a packed stadium pitch. The only difference is how loudly the nation chooses to cheer.

3D (Dreams, Dystopia, Destiny)

Anandajit Goswami stands among the most compelling contemporary voices in Indian literature today. Known for his genre-defying imagination and intellectual depth, Goswami has carved a distinct niche in science fiction, sustainability literature, and speculative narratives for both young readers and adults. His critically acclaimed Lucy series has been recognised by Indian Literary Review as one of the most original contributions to children’s science fiction.


Goswami’s works have been widely covered by leading media houses, earning him multiple Best Fiction Author awards. His scholarship and sustained engagement with ecological consciousness have also led to his recognition by prestigious platforms such as the Manorama Lit Fest and Green Lit Fest. In a recent in-depth conversation with Shiv Sethi, the author spoke about his evolving creative universe. Excerpts…


Literature seems to occupy a deeply personal space in your life. How do you define literature?

Literature, for me, is not a static product but an ongoing process of observing, shaping, and reshaping the reality that surrounds us. While engaging with reality, the human heart simultaneously dreams of alternative worlds. Literature is born from this tension between what exists and what could exist. It becomes a bridge between the real and the imagined, the present and the futuristic, the known and the unknown. Through literature, multiple worlds intersect, converse, and sometimes collide, enabling us to reimagine humanity and our collective future.


Your body of work spans multiple genres. Could you tell us about your books and recurring themes?

My writing moves across diverse genres and emotional landscapes—science fiction, dystopia, sustainability, climate fiction, court drama, violence, culture, identity, and crime thrillers. Rather than writing isolated narratives, I create what I call a “matrix of narratives.” Within this matrix, characters such as Lucy, Hema, Madhyam, Shopno, Siddharth, Esha, Rasul, Jacob, and Dr. Ghosh are born and reborn across texts.


The Lucy Series, comprising three English and two Bengali books—from Lucy and the Train to Lucy and the Rise of Parabola—explores dystopian realities shaped by environmental collapse, survival instincts, and socio-political violence. These characters inhabit fragile worlds such as Pink Gender Extended, where fate, chance, magic, and catastrophe intersect. As the narratives progress, the characters evolve from beings driven by survival into seekers of meaning and self-realisation, particularly in The Rise of the Club of Central Tendency and Siddharth – The Soul Seeker. Future works will further expand this matrix, offering new perspectives on interconnected realities.


Your latest book Siddharth – The Soul Seeker is receiving wide acclaim. What is the essence of this book?

Siddharth – The Soul Seeker is fundamentally a journey—across time, space, and consciousness. It traces the life of an individual navigating a rapidly transforming society while negotiating the complexities of his inner psycho-social world. The narrative unfolds through episodic drama, interwoven with moments of introspection and lived experience.


The protagonist’s journey is marked by love and loss, violence and compassion, hatred and healing. Through these experiences, Siddharth seeks an identity that transcends social labels and historical constraints. What begins as an ordinary life gradually transforms into something extraordinary, as the individual rises to stand for humanity itself. Ultimately, the book suggests that personal salvation is inseparable from historical memory and collective revival.


Many authors explore similar themes. How do your books differ?

My books are not limited to plots, characters, or themes—they move beyond conventional narrative structures. In many ways, they function as a mirror and a catharsis for the reader. Each narrative invites multiple interpretations, encouraging readers to explore their own inner selves.


Rather than offering definitive answers, my books open philosophical pathways. They allow readers to confront different versions of reality, truth, and possibility. Characters and chapters do not merely tell a story; they reveal layered truths—some comforting, others unsettling—gently yet persistently pushing readers to engage with life’s ambiguities.


You are also an accomplished musician. How does music influence your creative life?

Music has been an inseparable part of my life since the age of four. Melodies, notes, and sounds come to me instinctively and help me understand aspects of myself that words alone cannot express. My nearly forty musical compositions, available across various streaming platforms, influence the rhythm, emotional tone, and flow of my writing. For me, literature and music are not separate arts; they are parallel expressions of the same inner search.

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