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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.

Pilgrimage Garners Votes

Eknath Shinde

A publicity stunt has become a powerful tool in marketing and brand promotion. They can captivate audiences, generate buzz, and leave a lasting impression. This is what has been happening in Maharashtra for some time now. Schemes are being announced with a large amount of publicity. Atmosphere is created and later the file of the scheme gathers a lot of dust on the racks of Mantralaya.


Recently, the chief minister Eknath Shinde announced ‘Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana’, a pilgrimage scheme for senior citizens from all religions. The scheme is aimed at helping the elderly people who are unable to visit the religious sites on their own. For this new pilgrimage scheme, the state government has laid down the rules and regulations and eligibility to ‘Mukhyamantri Tirth Darshan Yojana’. As per these guidelines of this scheme, the senior citizens of poor families will be allowed to go on pilgrimage free of cost for once. GR pertaining to this has been issued.


The government has announced a scheme in the current budget. Chief Minister Shinde announced the full proof plan for the implementation of this Yojana. This will allow senior citizens to visit important pilgrimage sites in the country for free. GR has been issued by the Department of Social Justice. The government has selected 73 Pilgrimage sites over all India and 66 pilgrimage sites of Maharashtra. Almost all-important pilgrimage sites of the country and state have been included. Under this scheme an eligible person will get a one-time benefit of this scheme for one of the designated pilgrimage sites , also the maximum limit for travel expenses will be 30 thousand rupees per person including Accommodation. Annual income of the beneficiary should be 2 lakh 50 thousand. Beneficiary should be a resident of Maharashtra state and a senior citizen.


Online applications have to be submitted to avail the benefits of the scheme. Under the scheme, authorized tourist companies to organize bus travel and Indian Railway for train travel. For other services including hoteling IRCTC equivalent official companies will be selected. The selection of the passengers will be done by the district committee constituted at the district level. Similarly, the quota will be fixed for each district based on the population and the passengers will be selected through lottery based on the availability of applications received.


The government has made it clear that the free pilgrimage scheme is a part of the comprehensive pilgrimage policy for senior citizens from all religions who cannot afford it. The Mukhyamantri Teertha Darshan Yojana aims to enable senior citizens to undertake spiritual journeys with ease and comfort. States like Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhandand, Karnataka, and Union Territories (UTs), such as Delhi, also provide the free pilgrimage facility to holy sites for senior citizens aged 60 and above. Women get a two-year age relaxation. The government offers one-time assistance for this purpose. The scheme is part of a broader effort to support senior citizens socially, spiritually and financially in their respective home states.

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