top of page

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.

Madras HC grants interim anticipatory bail to comedian Kunal Kamra

  • PTI
  • Mar 28, 2025
  • 4 min read

Chennai: The Madras High Court on Friday granted interim anticipatory bail to comedian Kunal Kamra, who is facing the heat over his jokes on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.



The court granted Kamra the relief on the condition that he should execute a bond to the satisfaction of the judicial magistrate at Vanur in Villupuram district in Tamil Nadu.


Justice Sunder Mohan also issued notice to 2nd Respondent (R2-Khar Police) and posted the matter to April 7.


Kamra had submitted he moved to Tamil Nadu from Mumbai in 2021 and has been "ordinarily a resident of this State since then" and that he feared arrest by Mumbai Police.


The judge noted the petitioner, who is residing in Villupuram district, apprehends arrest in the case registered on the file of R-2 against him.


Counsel for the petitioner submitted that the allegation against the petitioner was that he made certain remarks in a standup comedy on Deputy Chief Minister, called "Naya Bharath."


According to the prosecution it harmed the reputation of the deputy CM.


Counsel further submitted that the allegation does not warrant custodial interrogation. He was unable to seek anticipatory bail in Maharashtra.


Counsel for the petitioner submitted that a life threat was made against him by partymen and the Ministers. He sought anticipatory bail to enable him to approach court in Maharashtra.


Citing a judgment of the Supreme Court, the judge said the petitioner prima facie satisfied as to why he was unable to approach a court in Maharashtra immediately. Hence, he directed issuing notice to R 2.


"In the meanwhile, this court is inclined to grant anticipatory bail till April 7. He should execute a bond to the satisfaction of Judicial Magistrate, Vanur," the court said.


Twice summoned by the Mumbai police, the 36-year-old stand-up comic's caustic comments on Shinde during his latest show in Mumbai have landed him in trouble and triggered a huge row.


The controversy stems from Kamra's show at the Habitat Comedy Club in Mumbai's Khar, where he performed a parody song targeting Shinde. The act prompted a strong backlash from Shiv Sena supporters, who vandalised the club and the hotel in which it is located on Sunday night.


Kamra was booked by the Khar police on a complaint by Shiv Sena MLA Murji Patel for allegedly making defamatory remarks against the deputy CM.


In his petition, Kamra submitted he has been working on and touring with his latest tour titled "Naya Bharat," over the past year.


The theme and content include a humorous yet criticial take on "Ambani's Wedding," Diwali's impact--how the festival affects people, animals, and birds and Parody songs " "A musical finale that adds an extra layer of humor to the show".


He submitted he is innocent of the offences levelled against him and that he has been falsely implicated in the case.


Although the FIR has been registered in Khar, Mumbai, Maharashtra, he is seeking anticipatory bail from Madras HC as he resides within its jurisdiction and "fears imminent arrest at the hands of the 2nd Respondent police if he were to travel to Mumbai and seek regular Anticipatory bail there."


"He also fears actual physical bodily harm and threats to his life and personal liberty in the event of his arrest by the 2nd Respondent police, a threat which has been chillingly made in public by political party cadres."


He said he has no political affiliation and has been a vocal supporter of enforcing and protecting the Constitution of India.


On the contentious show that has kicked up the present row, Kamra submitted he performed his new stand-up comedy show "Naya Bharat" at a venue in Mumbai in February 2025 and it was uploaded on his Youtube Channel on the 23rd of that month.


On March 23, persons claiming to be political activists vandalised the alleged venue of the petitioner's performance in Khar. On the same day, Khar Police Station also received the information from the complainant, Andheri East MLA Patel.


"It is alleged by the complainant that during the said performance of the petitioner, he defamed the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr Ekhnath Shinde by making slanderous statements on his conduct. The complainant further alleged that the petitioner's performance has damaged the reputation of their party and fostered animosity between the rival political parties."


"It is pertinent to mention here that the disputed songs/poem narrated by the petitioner does not name anyone, leave alone the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra," he claimed.


Kamra contended that from the date of release of this Youtube video, he has been receiving threats of physical harm and death on various social media platforms and even on his personal email and mobile phone.



"Such threats and warnings are primarily coming out of the Mumbai area. These are death threats and threats of harm to my life and the lives of my loved ones. The Petitioner submits that he is scared for his life and liberty if he goes to Mumbai on 31.03.2025 (as summoned by Khar police)," he said. He listed out the various statements made by Shiv Sena leaders to buttress his claim on threats.


Petitioner contended "he was innocent and wrongly and baselessly implicated in the said offences." He was ready to cooperate with the officers of the Respondent (police) and willing to supply them all the information and material sought by them.

Comments

bottom of page