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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.

Jarange withdraws; Mahayuti jubilant, MVA cautious

Updated: Nov 7, 2024

Jarange

Mumbai: Living up to his reputation Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange-Patil on Monday took a U-turn that too hours after vowing to take revenge against the BJP-led ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra. On the day the deadline to withdraw nominations for the Maharashtra Assembly elections ended, this was a bigger withdrawal which virtually created ripples into the political circle.


Jarange broke down at a press conference and made an attempt to create the atmosphere. Then he dramatically made the announcement to withdraw from the election fray. Jarange is an unpredictable man. As per his style of functioning he made this announcement. However, this time around the withdrawal, announced Monday morning, could benefit the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which had gained from Maratha discontent during the Lok Sabha elections.


Significantly, why Jarange backed out at such a crucial juncture is the question doing the rounds into the political circle. Jarange has repeatedly stated that there was no pressure on him to withdraw from contesting the election. Sources have claimed that some hidden power swung into action on Sunday late night. As a result, Monday morning barely a few hours after his initial announcement on Sunday night he took a backseat.


The BJP, within no time, hailed the move, describing it as sensible, appropriate and healthy for Jarange’s agitation for Maratha reservation. The sources in the party said that the decision by the activist will be a boost for the Mahayuti, and particularly the BJP. The Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has faced the brunt of Jarange-Patil’s frequent hunger strikes and other pressure tactics over the course of the past 15 months. Threatening every time not to withdraw, bringing worried politicians running to his doorsteps, and giving in every time after government promises and to honour the sentiments of the people. So Jarange's move will prove beneficial to the BJP.


The strong Maratha wave managed to dent the ruling Mahayuti’s equity in the last elections; and the question on every one’s mind was that if the activist sticks to his word this time, how it will dent the numbers for the MVA. Also, will the community continue to vote against the Mahayuti? In the last election, the three-party opposition combined managed to win more than eight seats in Marathwada and western Maharashtra backed by Maratha support.


Pravin Gaikwad, chief of Sambhaji Brigade, one of the oldest Maratha organisations, said, “The present situation in the state is so sticky that fielding Maratha candidates could also lead to the reverse polarisation of the OBCs against Maratha candidates. Most of the Congress-NCP (SP) candidates are Marathas and the community has been getting representation of 150 to 180 MLAs in the assembly. As the fight for the assembly polls is fierce, his candidates could ensure the defeat of some MVA candidates.”


“One thing I would like to make clear is that the Maratha community is against fielding candidates or entering into the election fray. Many prominent people from the Maratha community were strongly against this move of Jarange. The names of no prominent leaders feature in the stack of applications Jarange-Patil has received. That shows the community is not in favour of entering the poll arena. Anyway, since he has announced to withdraw from contesting the election, I can say he took the wise decision", Gaikwad added.


Who will benefit?

Political observers believe Jarange’s decision would impact the election’s dynamics, especially for Mahayuti. Some leaders had hoped that Patil’s candidates would split the traditional Maratha, Dalit, and Muslim support base of the MVA. In response to Patil’s decision, veteran MVA leader Sharad Pawar expressed relief, noting, “There is no connection between MVA and Patil’s withdrawal. I am glad he made this decision, as fielding candidates would have benefited BJP.”


Marathwada’s 46 seats and Western Maharashtra’s 70 seats hold significant sway. Jarange’s influence looms large in these regions, making his support highly sought after. A united front of Maratha, Dalit, and Muslim communities under the MVA banner drove anti-BJP sentiment in the last Lok Sabha elections. This sentiment may resurface amid ongoing anti-Muslim rhetoric from some BJP leaders.

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