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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.

Loan Scheme Could be Game Changer

Annasaheb Patil Loan Scheme

The Maharashtra government’s Annasaheb Patil Loan Scheme offers interest-free loans ranging from 10 to 50 lakhs to educated and competent youngsters in Maharashtra who want to start their own businesses or grow an existing one. Maratha youngsters are given loans to start their own businesses on behalf of the Maharashtra government through the Annasaheb Patil Economically Backward Development Corporation. Recently, the Maharashtra Government issued a Government Decision (GR) authorizing the disbursement of 30 crore rupees on behalf of the Annasaheb Patil Economically Backward Development Corporation.


Regarding the state’s unemployment, the Annasaheb Patil Loan Scheme was established to provide employment to the unemployed Maratha population, assist in business, and improve the state’s industrial sector. This initiative provides loans for businesses to the state’s youth in a very simple manner. Under this model, if a company makes a loan, the corporation pays the interest. This helps young people start their own businesses. The corporation is working to provide loans to the youngsters of the Maratha community. In the beginning, the teenagers had a difficult time obtaining financing from the firm. But eventually, the government improved the system for the youth so that they could receive funding as soon as possible. This system sets aside 4 percent of the total budget for the disabled.


The main and the most important objective of this scheme is to provide loans under the Annasaheb Patil Loan Scheme to the youth of Maharashtra state for them to start new businesses or expand current ones. To give financial help to economically disadvantaged groups, particularly unemployed youth, for them to start new businesses. Implementing plans to create jobs and self-employment prospects. To provide social development for economically disadvantaged groups. The bank provides self-employment to government-certified institutions as part of this strategy. Economically disadvantaged individuals are provided interest-free loans to establish employment groups, partnership societies, cooperative societies, corporations, LLPs, and FPO industries. The employment of the state will gradually increase, and the living standard of people will increase and get better.


In our state, there are many people who aspire to become entrepreneurs but struggle due to financial constraints. To address this issue, the state government initiated the Annasaheb Patil loan scheme. If you opt for a loan under this scheme to start your business, you will have a repayment period of up to 5 years. One of the prime conditions for the applicant is only permanent residents of Maharashtra are eligible for this loan scheme.

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