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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.

Hyundai Motor IPO - Good for Long Term?

Updated: Oct 22, 2024

Hyundai

Hyundai Motor IPO has opened for subscription on October 15, 2024 and will close on October 17, 2024. The allotment for the Hyundai Motor IPO is expected to be finalized on Friday, October 18, 2024. It is planned to list on the BSE and NSE with a tentative listing date set for Tuesday, October 22, 2024. Hyundai Motor IPO is a book built issue of Rs 27,870.16 crores. The issue is entirely an offer for sale of 14.22 crore shares, therefore the company will not receive any proceeds from the sale.


The IPO’s price band is set between Rs. 1865 to Rs. 1960 per share. Applicants are required to buy minimum of 7 shares to qualify for the offer. Retail investors are expected to invest a minimum of Rs. 13,720. Additionally, employees of Hyundai Motors will enjoy a discount of Rs. 186 per share.


Established in May 1996, Hyundai Motor India Limited is a subsidiary of the Hyundai Motor Group, ranking as the third-largest original equipment manufacturer (“OEM”) globally in terms of passenger vehicle sales. As of March 31, 2024, the company has successfully sold nearly 12 million passenger vehicles in India, in addition to exports.


The company specializes in the production and distribution of four-wheeler passenger vehicles, including models such as sedans, hatchbacks, SUVs, and electric vehicles (EVs). By December 31, 2023, Hyundai Motor India had established partnerships with 363 dealer companies for distribution and sales across India. Holding a 15% market share in India and boasting leading EBITDA margins of 13.8% in the first quarter of the fiscal year 2025, Hyundai is well-positioned for continued expansion.


Let’s now examine the financial performance of the company. Hyundai Motors India Ltd. has demonstrated a revenue and profit after tax growth rate of 19% CAGR and 48% CAGR over the past three years.


The company maintains a low debt position, with a debt to equity ratio below 0.1, and has an average return on equity of 27% over last 3 years (source - screener). At the upper end of the price band, this IPO is available at a P/E ratio of 26.3, indicating it is fairly valued.

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