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.

Pahalgam attack: Pakistan shuts ports for Indian ships after New Delhi bans imports from Islamabad

  • PTI
  • May 4, 2025
  • 2 min read


ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has banned Indian-flagged ships from entering its ports with immediate effect after New Delhi imposed fresh punitive measures, including a ban on the import of goods and entry of Pakistani vessels into its ports, against Islamabad amid heightened tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack.


India on Saturday imposed a ban on the import of goods coming from or transiting through Pakistan and also the entry of Pakistani ships into its ports even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the country is committed to taking "firm and decisive" action against terrorists and their backers.


In retaliation, Pakistan late Saturday ordered that any Indian flag carriers would not be allowed to visit any Pakistani port and also barred Pakistani ships from docking at any Indian port.


The Ministry of Maritime Affairs, in a notification, said that it took the step of banning the Indian ships in the context of the current situation, keeping in mind maritime sovereignty, economic interests and national security.

Indian-flagged ships will not be allowed to reach any Pakistani port. Similarly, Pakistani-flagged ships will not visit any Indian port, the ministry said.

0:11

Ties between the two neighbouring countries plummeted following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists.


In fresh punitive measures against Pakistan that came into effect immediately amid heightened Indo-Pak tensions in the wake of the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, India also suspended the exchange of mails and parcels from the neighbouring country via air and surface routes.


Besides banning the entry of Pakistani ships into Indian ports, India also barred Indian ships from visiting Pakistani ports, according to the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS).


The restrictions were put into place with immediate effect, officials said.

According to an Indian government order, the complete ban on imports of all goods from Pakistan was imposed on the grounds of national security and public policy.


Though the 200 per cent import duty imposed on Pakistani goods in 2019 after the Pulwama attack had effectively halted direct imports, the latest decision also prohibits the entry of Pakistani goods routed through third countries.


The fresh moves came a week-and-a-half after India announced a raft of punitive measures against Pakistan, including suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, shutting down of the only operational land border crossing at Attari and downgrading of diplomatic ties following the terror attack.


The Pakistan Army, meanwhile, said in a statement that it has conducted a successful training launch of the Abdali Weapon System, a surface-to-surface missile with a range of 450 km, saying it was aimed at ensuring the operational readiness of troops and validating key technical parameters.


In New Delhi, people familiar with the matter said India considers the test launch of the ballistic missile a "blatant" act of "provocation".


As the hunt for the Pahalgam attackers intensified, Sri Lankan police searched a flight arriving in Colombo from Chennai after being tipped off that a suspect linked to the massacre could be on board, a police spokesperson said in the Sri Lankan capital.


Indian authorities have identified four terrorists - including two Pakistani nationals - behind the Pahalgam carnage.


A statement from the national carrier, SriLankan Airlines, said the aircraft was thoroughly inspected and subsequently cleared for further operations.

Comments

bottom of page