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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.

Fiscal Aspirations

Updated: Feb 3, 2025

As Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman prepares to unveil Budget 2025, the expectations of taxpayers, investors and industries converge on a common theme of relief, reform and resilience. With an economy straddling high growth prospects and fiscal prudence, the challenge is to craft a budget that is both expansionary and responsible. The demands are as diverse as the stakeholders, but the underlying message is clear that India needs a blueprint that fuels consumption, incentivises investment and strengthens its economic foundation.


A primary expectation is a revision of the new concessional tax regime (CTR). A higher exemption threshold would put more disposable income in the hands of consumers, potentially boosting demand at a time when domestic consumption remains crucial to sustaining economic momentum.


Equally pressing is the need to address the taxation of electric vehicles (EVs). The current perquisite valuation framework, designed for internal combustion engine vehicles, leaves EVs in a regulatory grey zone. As India pushes for greater EV adoption, a well-defined tax framework is essential to ensure clarity for companies offering these vehicles as employee benefits. A failure to resolve this ambiguity could slow down corporate EV adoption, undermining the government’s broader sustainability agenda.


Beyond direct taxation, the budget must tackle high input costs in real estate, rationalise GST on cement, and boost affordable housing. India’s digital economy remains in tax limbo, with cryptocurrencies and NFTs needing clear rules. Cities like Pune, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru, where rental costs have soared, warrant inclusion under the 50 percent house rent allowance exemption while raising the exemption threshold to Rs. 10 lakh and expanding Section 80C deductions could stimulate savings and consumption alike.


Manufacturing, a pillar of the Modi government’s economic strategy, seeks stronger policy backing. The electronics industry has long lobbied for a production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for television manufacturing and the development of a local supply chain for critical components. At present, a 28 percent GST on televisions above 40 inches classifies them as luxury goods, despite their ubiquity in Indian households. A reassessment of this taxation could stimulate demand and boost domestic manufacturing. Moreover, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the electronics sector urge the government to create a level playing field by enhancing R&D incentives and investing in labour-skilling initiatives.


While expectations run high, the government must tread carefully. Populist tax cuts or excessive incentives could strain fiscal discipline, particularly in an election year. Yet, the absence of meaningful tax relief or structural reforms could dampen investor sentiment and stifle consumption. The budget must strike a balance in bolstering economic activity without undermining revenue collection.

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