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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.

Government creating obstacles in people celebrating Eid freely: Akhilesh Yadav

  • PTI
  • Mar 31, 2025
  • 4 min read

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday alleged the BJP-led government was creating obstacles in people celebrating Eid freely, and accused the ruling party of flouting the Constitution and undermining democracy.


"The biggest threat today is to democracy and the Constitution," Yadav told reporters outside Aishbagh Eidgah on the day of Eid. "And I am saying this with full responsibility', even though I shouldn't have to, ?that the BJP is not running the country as per the Constitution."


Yadav alleged the BJP government was creating obstacles in people celebrating Eid freely. He pointed to heightened security measures at Eidgahs and mosques, claiming they were excessive and unnecessary.


"You all have been covering Eid for years, but have you ever seen such large-scale barricading before?" he asked. He also claimed that police deliberately stopped his convoy for half an hour without any valid reason.


"When I asked why I was being held up, no official had an answer. What should I call this? Dictatorship? An undeclared emergency? Or an attempt to intimidate us so that we don't attend events of other communities?"


Yadav also recalled how his father and SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav had first brought him to the Eidgah, and since then, he had been visiting regularly. "But this time, the excessive security seemed designed to prevent people from celebrating their festival and following their traditions," he alleged.


Addressing a question on his recent remarks about cow shelters and dung, for which the BJP has criticised him, Yadav hit back, saying, "Who knows more about cows than us? Those putting up posters and debating on national TV should actually work for cow protection instead of just talking."


He challenged the BJP to disclose the actual number of cows and bulls in government shelters, alleging that the ruling party deliberately avoids accountability.


"They won't tell you how many animals died at the Maha Kumbh due to the floods, nor will they explain where the allocated budget for cow shelters is going," he said.


Yadav further accused the BJP of "using distractions" to avoid addressing real issues such as rising unemployment, inflation, lack of investment in Uttar Pradesh, and failing healthcare facilities.


"They want to hide corruption, their 'Ease of Doing Corruption', their 'Ease of Taking Commissions', and their 'Ease of Doing Scams'," he remarked sarcastically.


Without naming him, Yadav also took a swipe at suspended IAS officer Abhishek Prakash, who is facing corruption charges, suggesting that the officer was being shielded by the BJP.


"I have information that the missing officer is actually hiding in the Chief Minister's residence," he claimed.


Continuing his attack on the BJP, Yadav also responded to recent remarks made by BJP MLA from Loni, Nand Kishor Gurjar, saying that the legislator was not attacking his own party but merely challenging officials.


"He has only said, 'If you have the courage, prove me wrong'. Maybe he feels insulted or is in distress, which is why he reacted in anger," Yadav said.


"Just think about it. This is a BJP legislator questioning government officials and reminding them of their loyalty. Now, it's up to the officials and the government to respond," he said.


Yadav also supported West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's recent remarks, asserting the BJP was running a smear campaign against her, "just as it had done in Uttar Pradesh".


"What Mamata Banerjee is facing today in Bengal is exactly what the BJP did in Uttar Pradesh. Now, they are using the same dirty tactics in Bengal and Bihar," he alleged.


He further claimed that journalists were well aware of the situation but refrain from speaking out. "You all know the truth, but I understand that you won't say it openly," he told reporters.


When asked about Kanwar Yatra processions blocking roads, Yadav avoided getting into the debate. However, on the issue of land ownership laws, he pointed out a contradiction, "Right now, a person from Uttar Pradesh cannot buy land in Uttarakhand. People should think about this."


Taking a jibe at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, he added, "I hope he (Yogi) also moves to Uttarakhand."


Shifting to a serious tone, Yadav accused the BJP of manipulating constitutional provisions for political gain. He criticised the removal of Anglo-Indian representation in Parliament and slammed the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). "They claimed GST would help traders, but look at the reality. ?Businesses are suffering, inflation is soaring," he said.


He also attacked the BJP's demonetisation move, alleging that corruption had only worsened.


Referring to the case of suspended IAS officer Abhishek Prakash, Yadav remarked, "This entire controversy was not about commissions but about distribution. If the share had been settled properly, there would have been no FIRs."


Yadav accused the BJP of taking decisions solely for political gains rather than national development. "If demonetisation and GST were truly beneficial, then why does the government still need to provide free rations to 80 crore people?" he asked.


"The government itself cannot explain the per capita income of these 80 crore people."

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