top of page

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.

Focus on Yugendra; Rohit busy in proving Pawar credentials

Pawar credentials

Mumbai: In February 2024, when Rohit Pawar was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in a money laundering probe concerning the alleged Maharashtra Cooperative Bank scam, the young NCP (SP) leader was accompanied by his wife Kunti and his cousin Revati Sule, who is Sharad Pawar’s granddaughter. The senior Pawar’s wife Pratibha was also around, sitting in the party office near the ED headquarters in Mumbai’s Ballard Estate. The family’s public support was a message to political allies and opponents—that Rohit has the favour and backing of his great uncle.


Pawar senior has never shied from expressing support for Rohit. He acknowledged his efforts in undertaking the Yuva Sangharsh Yatra and more recently, hinted at a “big role” for Rohit after these elections. The statement could be a ploy to consolidate votes in his favour in Karjat-Jamkhed but it also reflects his great uncle's inclination towards grooming him for big roles in the party.


When Ajit split the NCP and walked away with legislators, Rohit stood firm with Pawar and aunt Supriya Sule, vowing to work with them to build the party again. Ajit’s departure, party insiders point out, was a blessing for Rohit. There was a void in the leadership for politics in the state which Rohit could fill. Sule was focussed on Delhi and Parliament. Rohit jumped in to shoulder new responsibilities. He travelled across Baramati campaigning for his aunt, addressing multiple public meetings, garnering support and overseeing the backend electioneering work. A press conference with Pawar seated next to him was another recent reminder of his growing stature within the party.


His fast-increasing role within the party is evident in how he is campaigning across the state, leaving his own constituency for party workers, his team and his mother and wife to handle. His mother Sunanda Pawar has been a familiar and well-respected face in Karjat-Jamkhed. She works with women, offering training and employment, sanitation and even joined a clean-up movement in 2020. Wife Kunti undertakes social obligations and visits on his behalf. The Pawar family’s presence is in-tact while he’s campaigning outside.


Over the past one year, Rohit has been doing the groundwork for his party’s spread and strengthening. Before Sharad Pawar holds a public rally, Rohit is the one who travels there, works with local party workers and holds multiple smaller meetings. He is seen as the emissary who carries his great uncle's message. Party workers recall how during an NCP(SP) meeting in Beed last year, Jayant Patil had to defer his speech because the crowd chanted Rohit’s name.


At 39, Rohit is a few years older than his cousin Yugendra who is making his electoral debut now. Be it on social media or on Baramati’s roads, Rohit is seen supporting Yugendra. He uses his wide social media presence to showcase his cousin. “The next generation of the Pawars are ready to take the legacy ahead. The way Rohit has been assigned the responsibility of campaigning for party candidates and hand holding Yugendra shows Pawar senior’s faith in him. He is being groomed for a big role,” says a party member. “He is ambitious and is shrewd to try and gain some of the ground left vacant by Ajit Pawar and a few other party leaders,” says a person from Karjat.


It works well for both, Rohit gets a chance to establish his influence in the party and for the NCP (SP), there is a new leadership being groomed. Recent developments in his constituency such as the departure of his close team members, threaten to cause Rohit some discomfort. But Rohit’s ace is that he has his great uncle's unwavering support.

Comments

bottom of page