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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.

Financial Planning For Your Child's Blockbuster Wedding

Updated: Dec 2, 2024

Blockbuster Wedding

As wedding season returns, you may have received numerous invitations, attended weddings and observed the significant costs involved in hosting such events. Weddings are not just emotional milestones but major financial ones as well, and if you have children or plan to have children, preparing for their future wedding expenses is a critical financial goal.


Among the key financial goals to plan for—buying a home, a car, vacations, children's higher education, and your retirement—saving for your child's wedding is also a significant one that requires long-term planning and investment. Weddings often come with substantial costs that cannot be covered from regular monthly income. Hence, you need to start saving and investing specifically for this goal to ensure you are financially prepared.


Setting the financial goal

A financial goal is any large expenditure that cannot be managed from your current monthly income. Given the large sums typically required for weddings, it's essential to begin planning early—starting today.


Let's take a hypothetical example: You have a child who will likely get married in 15 years. If you estimate that the cost of the wedding in today's terms is 30 lakh, you must account for inflation when planning. Assuming an inflation rate of 7% annually, the cost of the wedding in 15 years could increase to around 83 lakh.


How much to save & invest?

To build a corpus of 83 lakh over the next 15 years, investing consistently and staying invested is essential. Assuming an annual return of 12% on a Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) in mutual funds, you would need to invest around 18,000 per month, to reach INR 83 lakhs in 15 years. This SIP should be exclusively for the wedding fund, while other financial goals—like retirement or your child’s education—will require separate SIP amounts earmarked. SIPs are best looked at as “Sapna in Progress”—a dream you're working towards with every monthly investment. By keeping your goals clear and your investments strategic, you can bring your aspirations, like your child's wedding, to life in a financially secure way.


It's important to remember that saving alone won't get you there. For long-term financial goals, only mutual funds, stocks, and gold should be considered. Other investment options may not beat inflation and grow your money optimally.


Planning Ahead

It's important to note that financial planning is not a one-size-fits-all process. Every family's goals, timeframes, and capacities differ. Consulting with a financial advisor is a must. Financial advisors come with necessary education, wisdom, experience and expertise to help you plan, invest and protect your wealth. They can help you calculate your specific needs, tailor your investment strategy, and adjust your plans as necessary to stay on track.

Start early, stay disciplined, and secure your financial future for all of life's major milestones—including your child's wedding.


(The author is a Chartered Accountant and CFA (USA). Financial Advisor.

Views personal. He could be reached on 9833133605. )

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