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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.

Indian Navy warship seizes 2.5-tons drugs

Mumbai: Adding another feather in the cap, an Indian Navy warship intercepted and seized 2,500-kgs (2.5-tons) of narcotics in the high seas in the Western Indian Ocean, officials said here.

The huge seizure was successfully carried out by INS Tarkash, which has been deployed in that region since Jan. 2025 for maritime security operations.

IN officials said that on March 31, while patrolling the vicinity, INS Tarkash received multiple inputs from an IN P8I aircraft about some suspicious vessels plying in the area.

As per the messages, these unknown vessels were reportedly engaged in certain illicit activities including narcotics trafficking.

Accordingly, INS Tarkash diverted to the area to investigate all the dubious vessels, and zeroed in on one Dhow with the coordination of P8I, its own helicopter and the Maritime Operations Centre in Mumbai.

A naval specialist team and Marine Commandos boarded the suspect Dhow and conducted a thorough search which revealed many sealed packets.

Interrogation and investigations confirmed that the packets contained 2.50 ton of narcotics comprising 2,386 kg of hashish and 121 kg of heroin.


These were concealed in different cargo holds and compartments on board the Dhow and the vessel was taken under the control of INS Tarkash.

The crew was subjected to intensive questioning pertaining to the drugs seized and their modus operandi in the narcotics smuggling in the high seas as well as the presence of other similar vessels in the area.


The operation by INS Tarkash, a frontline frigate under the Western Naval Command, underscores the Indian Navy’s unwavering commitment to combating maritime crime and bolstering regional security, said an official spokesperson.

The warship is actively supporting Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, which is part of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and is based in Bahrain.


The ship is also participating in the multi-national forces joint focus operation, Anzac Tiger, and aims to promote security stability and prosperity across international waters in the Indian Ocean Region.

“This seizure underscores the effectiveness and professionalism of the Indian Navy in deterring and disrupting illicit activities, including narcotics trafficking at sea,” said the official.

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