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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.

Nepal’s Constitutional Amendments: A Debate on Reform and Stability

Updated: Oct 22, 2024

Nepal’s Constitutional

Nepal’s current political debate centres on the ruling coalition’s call for constitutional amendments. Led by the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), the government argues that revisions to the constitution are necessary to address political and governance challenges. The amendments they propose include changes to the electoral system, tweaking the federal structure, and revisiting the nation’s secular status. They claim these reforms will lead to more inclusivity and stability in the long run.


On the other hand, the opposition, including several smaller parties, remains wary of such reforms. They argue that opening up the constitution to major changes could cause more harm than good, especially given Nepal’s complex political and ethnic landscape. There is a strong concern that amending the constitution without broad consensus could lead to political unrest and social division.


Key Amendment Issues

The debate over constitutional amendments revolves around three key issues:

Electoral System: There are calls to shift toward a more proportional representation system to ensure that smaller political parties and under-represented groups have a stronger voice in the political process. Currently, Nepal uses a mixed system, with some seats elected directly and others proportionally. The amendment would increase the number of proportionally elected representatives, giving smaller parties and marginalised groups more power. This change could bring more inclusivity, but critics also warn that it might further fragment an already divided political landscape.


Federalism: Nepal transitioned to a federal system in 2015, with the hope of decentralising power and promoting regional autonomy. However, challenges remain in balancing the power between the central government and the provinces. The proposed amendments aim to address these issues by altering the distribution of powers between the central and provincial governments to decentralise authority more effectively, empower regions, and address local governance issues. This would benefit provincial governments and historically under-represented regions, but it could also lead to conflicts over resource distribution and central control, especially in wealthier or politically dominant provinces. However, critics argue that such changes could destabilise the current system and weaken regional governance.


Secularism: Nepal has declared itself a secular state in its 2015 constitution, but this has been a topic of ongoing debate. Some groups, particularly those aligned with Hinduism, feel that secularism undermines the country’s religious heritage. While the current government has said that it’s not seeking to overturn secularism, there are discussions about refining the way secularism is addressed in the constitution to better reflect Nepal’s religious heritage, particularly its strong Hindu identity. While the state would remain secular, the changes might afford greater acknowledgement of Hindu traditions.


Challenges of Amending the Constitution

Amending a constitution is no small feat, especially in a country like Nepal, where political transitions have often been fragile. One of the main risks of making changes to the constitution is the possibility of increased political instability. The current constitution is only nine years old, and many fear that opening it up to amendments could lead to further fragmentation of the political landscape. Additionally, there are concerns about how these amendments could affect Nepal’s ethnic and regional balance. The federal structure, in particular, has been a sensitive issue since its implementation, and any changes to it could lead to discontent among certain provinces or ethnic groups.


Involvement of External Players: China’s Influence

Nepal’s geopolitical position between India and China means that any political or constitutional shift in the country attracts international attention. China, in particular, has been expanding its influence in Nepal over recent years, both economically and politically. Some analysts believe that the ruling parties’ push for constitutional reforms is also motivated by their desire to maintain a better relationship with China. As China continues to invest heavily in Nepal through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), there is concern that China’s involvement could subtly influence the direction of Nepal’s internal political decisions, including amendments to the constitution.


The debate over amending Nepal’s constitution highlights the delicate balance between reform and stability. While there are clear opportunities for addressing political challenges and improving governance, there is also the risk of destabilising the fragile peace that has been built over the past decade. Nepal’s leaders must tread carefully, ensuring that any changes are made with broad consensus and careful consideration of the nation’s complex political and ethnic fabric.


For India, watching these developments closely is essential, as Nepal’s stability and progress directly affect the region. Constitutional reform is a big change, and it must be handled with extreme caution to avoid unintended consequences.


(The author is an expert in foreign affairs. Views personal.)

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