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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.

Ballot Beckons

Maharashtra’s voters face a critical choice on November 20. With the State Assembly elections unfolding this time against a backdrop of political turbulence and deep regional disparities, the stakes have never been higher. The Election Commission of India (ECI), mindful of past voter indifference, has unleashed a flurry of campaigns to stir the electorate, particularly in urban bastions like Mumbai. Yet the question looms: will these efforts inspire citizens to exercise their franchise or will Maharashtra be shackled by the malaise of voter apathy?


Mumbai, the financial capital, has long struggled with dismal voter turnout, rarely crossing the 50 percent mark. Pune, too, has seen similar voter apathy. The middle and upper classes, often disillusioned by the complexities of coalition politics and uninspired by candidates, have shunned their civic duty in such cities. The same electorate, however, often cries foul over governance. This paradox must be confronted head-on in this Assembly poll. If urban elites remain disengaged, the state risks ceding political power to narrow, sectional interests.


The election also underscores a proliferation of independent candidates. A record 2,087 independents are in the fray this year, a staggering increase from 1,400 in 2019. While independents can inject fresh perspectives, many are likely ‘dummy candidates,’ planted to confuse voters or siphon votes.


A divided vote could further complicate governance in a state already grappling with fragmentation. The split in the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has muddied the waters, turning allies into adversaries and blurring ideological lines. Alliances on both sides - the Mahayuti and the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) - are fragile, often at odds with their own histories and bases. If voters fail to deliver a decisive mandate, the state risks descending into the chaos of opportunistic coalitions and political paralysis. Maharashtra embodies a tale of two states. Urban centers like Mumbai and Pune boast infrastructure projects and high per capita income, while rural regions such as Vidarbha and Marathwada are plagued by droughts, farmer suicides, and economic stagnation. This dichotomy demands leaders who can bridge the gap, but a fractured mandate would embolden populist quick fixes over long-term solutions.


Maharashtra’s future hinges on its electorate’s ability to prioritize governance over identity politics. The State contributes 13.3 percent to India’s GDP and holds immense sway in national politics. Yet, its political future hinges on whether voters can rise above apathy, sectarianism and the temptation to reject candidates via NOTA.


In 2019, over 7 lakh voters chose this option, reflecting their dissatisfaction. While symbolic, NOTA does little to change the political landscape; engaged voting does.


The electorate must confront this reality: a fractured mandate will deliver fractured governance. The task is clear. Maharashtra’s voters must turn out in record numbers and cast their votes with discernment. Only then can the state hope to transcend its divisions and harness its immense potential.

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