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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.

Cement demand to grow 6-7.5% in FY26 amid recovery in infrastructure and housing: Report



New Delhi: The Indian cement industry is likely to see a demand growth of 6 to 7.5 per cent in the current financial year (FY26), according to a report by Systematix Research.



The report highlighted that with consolidation-led discipline taking hold and strong momentum in infrastructure and housing sectors, the industry is entering a more stable and profitable phase.



It said, "With consolidation-led discipline settling in and momentum building in infrastructure and housing, industry demand is expected to grow by 6-7.5 per cent in FY26".



The report noted that the sector exited FY25 on a stronger footing. The last quarter of the previous financial year saw a visible recovery in both demand and pricing after a slow first half. Increased government capital expenditure towards the end of FY25 helped revive construction activity in major markets.



The report said "Cement volume for companies under our coverage grew by 11 per cent after a slow H1 due to an upswing in commercial activity and a ramp-up in government execution. In FY25, the cement industry ended with a capacity of about 655 MTPA (+4.8 per cent YoY).



This also supported price hikes, which were partially absorbed in regions like the East and North.



In May 2025, the report added that the cement companies attempted price hikes across different regions, ranging from Rs 5 to Rs 10 per bag.



However, due to weak demand in several areas, the absorption of these hikes remained limited. Regional factors such as early monsoons and heat waves played a key role in affecting demand.



In the East, demand dropped sharply due to early monsoons, but prices still rose by Rs 46 per bag. The South faced flat demand conditions as heat waves impacted construction activities.



As a result, price hikes in the region are expected to be postponed to the second quarter of FY26, since the fourth quarter remained muted.



Meanwhile, the report mentioned that central India recorded a modest hike of Rs 2 per bag, and Northern markets saw better traction, with prices increasing by Rs 20-30 per bag.



Despite these regional challenges, the average cement price across India rose 1.6 per cent month-on-month in May 2025, reaching Rs 367 per bag.



The industry also benefited from a favourable cost environment and improving capacity utilisation, further supporting a positive outlook for FY26.

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