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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.

Balochistan is not Pakistan: Baloch leader declares independence from Pakistan, seeks support from India and global community



Balochistan: Baloch representative Mir Yar Baloch on Wednesday declared independence from Pakistan, citing decades of violence, enforced disappearances, and human rights violations in the region.



In a post on X, he said the people of Balochistan have given their "national verdict" and that the world must no longer stay silent.



"Tum Maroge Hum Neklengy, Hum Nasal Bachany Nekly Hain, Aao Hamara Sath Do. Baloch people across Pakistan Occupied Balochistan are up on streets and this is their national verdict that Balochistan Is Not Pakistan and world can't be a silent spectator any more," he said.



He also urged Indian citizens, especially media, YouTubers, and intellectuals, to avoid calling Balochs "Pakistan's own people."



"Baloch Narrative!! Dear Indians patriot media, the YouTube comrades, the intellectuals fighting to defend Bharat are suggested not to refer to Balochs as 'Pakistan's Own People.' We are not Pakistani, we are Balochistani. Pakistan's own people are the Punjabi who never faced air bombings, enforced disappearances and genocide," the Baloch leader said,





Mir Yar Baloch also expressed full support for India's stand on Pakistan-occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK). He urged the international community to pressure Pakistan to vacate the region.



Mir Yar said, "14 May 2025- Balochistan fully supports the India decision of asking Pakistan to vacate PoK. The international community must urge Pakistan to immediately leave PoK to avoid another humiliation of surrender on its 93,000 army personnel in Dhaka. India is capable of defeating Pakistan army and if Pakistan didn't pay any heed then the only Pakistani greedy army generals must be held responsible for bloodshed because Islamabad is using PoK people as human shields."


According to Mir Yar Baloch, the world must not accept Pakistan's narrative on Balochistan, which, he said, was forcibly annexed with the involvement of foreign powers.



Balochistan has long witnessed serious human rights violations. These include enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and silencing of dissent. Both Pakistani security forces and armed groups have been accused of abuses.



Civilians often suffer in the ongoing conflict, with little media access or legal accountability. While international concern has grown, meaningful intervention remains lacking.

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