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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.

Govt to form committee for decision on assets of MTNL and BSNL in Mumbai: Scindia

  • PTI
  • Apr 1, 2025
  • 2 min read

Mumbai: Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday said a committee of government officials will be formed to take a decision on the assets of public sector telecom companies Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited in Mumbai.


The committee will comprise officials of the state urban development department, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), and the central government's telecommunications department, and its report will be submitted in four weeks, Scindia was quoted as saying in a release.


The Minister of Communications attended a meeting organised at the Sahyadri Guest House here on the BSNL's assets in Mumbai and the communication system in Maharashtra. The meeting discussed in detail the assets of BSNL and MTNL in Mumbai, construction of mobile towers, communication systems to be created under the BharatNet programme.


Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik, Union Telecom Secretary Neeraj Kumar, BSNL's Managing Director Robert Ravi and others also took part in the meeting.


Scindia said the BharatNet project is being implemented to create a fast communication system for every gram panchayat in the country, and added that Maharashtra has done a good job in the phase I of the project.


The BharatNet project aims to provide broadband connectivity to all the gram panchayats in the country.


Under phase II of the project, a communication system should be established up to every remaining gram panchayat in the state as well, he said.


Scindia said that under BharatNet's phase II, one lakh towers of 4G network will be set up across the country.


These towers are planned to be set up mainly in unconnected areas. This will create a good communication system even in the most remote areas of the state, he said.


The Union minister also suggested removing the obstacles in creating a communication system in rural areas, he said.


Fadnavis assured full co-operation in strengthening the communication system by linking remote areas like Gadchiroli.


Security cover will be provided in the extremely remote areas of Gadchiroli to set up towers. If a communication system in remote areas is strong, it will be convenient to connect the local youth with modern technology, he said.


The government will work to create connectivity systems in all gram panchayats in the state under BharatNet phase II, he added.


CM Fadnavis assured that the state will be at the forefront of the country in the project's second phase as well.


Reservations on BSNL and MTNL properties in Mumbai will be examined. Action will be taken to remove the reservations as per the rules. The government intends to create various facilities for citizens on these properties. The state government will take action based on the recommendations of the committee formed, Fadnavis said.


Deputy CM Shinde said if a communication system is established in the remote areas of Gadchiroli, it will be possible for the state government to completely eradicate Naxalism.


"The government's efforts to eradicate Naxalism will be strengthened if a communication system is established," he said.

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