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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.

Army finalises ₹85,000 cr procurement push with focus on Make-in-India

  • PTI
  • Apr 22, 2025
  • 2 min read


NEW DELHI: The Indian Army has finalized major procurement deals worth ₹85,000 crore for the year 2024-25, focusing strongly on self-reliance. “A total of 26 capital procurement contracts amounting to ₹85,000 crore have been approved in the capital budget, and only three of them involve foreign vendors,” an Army source said.


Regarding the use of the capital budget, the source added, “The Army spent ₹35,000 crore, and 95% of that went to domestic suppliers, further strengthening the Make-in-India initiative.”


Army officials believe that spending on local procurement not only boosts defence capabilities but also supports economic growth and job creation. “This historic ₹85,000 crore procurement marks a strong push for self-reliance and significantly enhances India’s military readiness for the future,” a defence official stated.


He also noted that the focus on local procurement and indigenous production is “not just improving operational strength but also giving a strong boost to the economy through job creation, investment, and industrial development.”

This move, part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, aims to grow India’s domestic defence manufacturing sector. “It is expected to increase GDP, promote economic growth, and generate thousands of skilled jobs,” the official added.


For 2024-25, the total defence budget was ₹6,21,541 crore. In the Union Budget for 2025-26, ₹6,81,210.27 crore has been earmarked for the Ministry of Defence. The capital outlay for 2024-25 stands at ₹1.72 lakh crore, which is used for acquiring new weapons, systems, and equipment.


“In today’s changing geopolitical environment and evolving modern warfare trends, India’s armed forces must be equipped with advanced technology and cutting-edge weapons. With this in mind, ₹1,80,000 crore has been set aside for capital expenditure, which is a 4.65% increase over the 2024-25 budget estimate,” the Ministry of Defence said.


DefExpo may be held in Ranchi

If all goes as planned, the next edition of India’s DefExpo could take place in Ranchi, Jharkhand. “The international five-day DefExpo is likely to be hosted in Ranchi, the Lok Sabha constituency of Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth,” a source revealed.

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