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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.

On the horns of a dilemma

Mumbai: As the euphoria of the first public stage sharing of Thackeray cousins – Uddhav and Raj – ebbs, strategists and soothsayers on both sides get down to the brasstacks of a possible political alliance between Shiv Sena (UBT)-Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).

 

The die-hard assertions of ex-chief minister and SS (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray and MNS President Raj Thackeray at the June 5 victory rally for the cause of ‘Marathi’ and ‘Marathi Manoos’ earned them dollops of publicity and goodwill among the ordinary folks.

 

It also rekindled fervent hopes of the ‘Thackeray brand’ catapulting back to the political centre-stage – as in the times of the (undivided) Shiv Sena founder the late Balasaheb Thackeray.

 

Yet, a key question nags the key organizers of the two parties: “What shape will the proposed political alliance take and which side will benefit most, as ‘one bucket is empty and the other is full’, as that can upset the balance,” as a senior SS (UBT) functionary explained.

 

Depending on the kind of tie-up – it would be long-term, as proclaimed by Uddhav – the first testing ground would be the upcoming civic elections in the state, which maybe held around December, as per a senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader today.

 

“Many factors will be considered when the actual bargaining starts… Despite common (Thackeray family) origins, both parties are separate entities, legally and politically, with two high-profile leaders, including one (Uddhav) who has served as the state CM. Can't rule out angry flashes and egoistic clashes,” admitted a MNS leader.

 

Boost to confidence

The confidence levels on both sides received a booster dose after the July 5 joint rally when the Thackeray cousins hugged and shook hands after 20 years, but a lot of water has flown in the Mithi River in the past two decades.

 

A former SS (UBT) office-bearer pointed out how the cousins went their separate ways, Uddhav went onto become the first-ever CM from the Thackeray clan, Raj went around playing ‘videos’ lampooning leaders from all sides till he became ignorable.

 

Raj became synonymous with flip-flops, at times supporting the BJP and at other times opposing it, praising or ridiculing its leadership, a fresh somersault after his date with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Aug. 2019 – just before the Assembly elections that saw his cousin wearing the CM’s crown.

 

In between, he treaded on many toes including the North Indians, the Gujaratis, the Muslim with the mosque loudspeakers campaign, etc. that made the MNS almost ‘politically untouchable’ – till the BJP gave the 3-language formula issue on a platter.

 

“Under such circumstances, it remains to be seen if Uddhav can afford the political risks associated with the MNS. How much will the MNS spare and reciprocate? The hugs at the top-level are good enough, but will the bonhomie percolate to the grassroots where domains are fiercely guarded, and could lead to sabotage,” averred the SS (UBT) leader.

 

Moreover, Raj had unabashedly appealed for votes and the CM’s post ‘at least once, to set right things’ in the state that may weigh in Big Brother Uddhav’s calculations – as the latter also must consider the interests of gen-next – if the alliance goes to the next level.

 

The MVA brotherhood

The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is abuzz with talks of the ally Shiv Sena (UBT) joining hands with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), and its future ramifications, especially for the other two partners, a sulking Congress and a wary Nationalist Congress Party (SP).

 

Congress skipped the July 5 event as it felt the ‘lost-and-found’ Thackeray kin had allegedly hijacked the credit for the success of the anti-Hindi campaign it had started, while the NCP (SP) considers the SS (UBT)-MNS brotherhood may strengthen the MVA.

 

Queries whether the SS (UBT)-MNS could edge out the Congress-NCP (SP), evoked much mirth, with a Congress leader saying, “first they need to spell out the extent of their tie-up” and a NCP (SP) functionary feeling its “too premature” to even comment on it.

 

They explain how the other three current allies are established parties with electoral successes compared with MNS that usually occupied the political pavements, plus it is not clear what shape the MVA may take before the civic elections.

 

Once there is full clarity on all this, it would need a lot of give-and-take, compromises, ego-clashes and heart-burns – all potential ingredients to rock the boat, unless there is complete mutual trust and patience, they said.

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