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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.

Cold Ambitions

From Cold War strategies to Donald Trump’s property-driven diplomacy, Greenland remains a nexus of great power competition.

Donald Trump

Greenland, the world’s largest island, has long been a geopolitical prize coveted by empires, strategists and now, deal-making presidents following U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s recent and startling claim over it. Nestled in the Arctic and strategically positioned between Washington and Moscow, Greenland’s importance extends far beyond its sparse population of 60,000. Its ice-covered expanse conceals vast reserves of rare earth minerals, critical to modern technology while providing unrivalled strategic access to the Arctic.


Donald Trump’s renewed interest in Greenland is no historical anomaly but part of a broader narrative of U.S. aspirations for Arctic dominance. In 2019, Trump floated the idea of buying the island, likening it to a “real estate deal,” only to be rebuffed by Denmark, which called the notion “absurd.” Trump’s transactional approach returned with force recently, as he declared Greenland essential to “National Security and Freedom throughout the World.” His remarks came alongside threats to retake the Panama Canal and hints of economic leverage over Canada—rhetoric that has drawn parallels to other territorial disputes, from Taiwan to Ukraine.


American fascination with Greenland dates back to the 19th century. As the United States expanded its territory through purchases like the Louisiana and Alaska acquisitions, Greenland’s vast Arctic expanse appeared as a natural extension of its growing dominion.


The island’s connection to ` is deep, rooted in centuries of Nordic history. Greenland fell under Norwegian rule in the 13th century before being united with Denmark in the 16th century. By the late 18th century, Denmark had declared Greenland its colony, a status solidified by the 1814 Treaty of Kiel.


It was during World War II, however, that Greenland’s modern strategic importance emerged. Following the German invasion of Denmark in 1940, the United States acted to secure Greenland under the guise of the Monroe Doctrine. As the Cold War dawned, Greenland’s position as the shortest polar route between Washington and Moscow made it an invaluable asset. The U.S. established Thule Air Base in 1953 under Operation Blue Jay, a cornerstone of its Arctic strategy and NATO’s North Atlantic defences.


The end of the Cold War saw a decline in U.S. interest, much to the chagrin of Greenlanders who had benefited from American investment. But the Arctic’s geopolitical allure has resurged. Melting ice caps have unlocked shipping lanes and exposed untapped resources, causing renewed competition between global powers. In 2018, the U.S. Second Fleet was reestablished to secure the North Atlantic, while China, declaring itself a “near-Arctic state,” has become Greenland’s largest foreign investor. Chinese firms now control significant portions of Greenland’s rare earth resources and fish stocks, sparking concerns in Washington and Copenhagen.


Greenland’s trajectory toward independence adds another layer to the geopolitical puzzle. Home-rule was established in 2009, granting the territory autonomy over natural resources. With a burgeoning economy, driven in part by Chinese investment, Greenland’s per capita GDP has surpassed that of the UK. Prime Minister Múte B. Egede has called for a path to full independence, buoyed by newfound confidence in the island’s economic potential. A draft constitution has already been prepared, and upcoming elections could hasten the island’s break from Denmark.


For Denmark, the stakes are high. In response to Trump’s latest remarks, Copenhagen announced €1.3 billion in additional spending for Greenland’s defence and development, a move likely intended to shore up its influence. The recent redesign of Denmark’s royal coat of arms, prominently featuring Greenland and the Faroe Islands, underscores the kingdom’s symbolic commitment to its Arctic territories.


Trump’s overtures are unlikely to succeed in the immediate term. But his rhetoric highlights the enduring relevance of Greenland in global geopolitics. With Russia expanding its Arctic footprint and China securing footholds in Greenland’s economy, the island is once again a focal point of great-power competition.

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