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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.

Political Peaks and Social Lows

Arunachal Pradesh

As 2024 draws to a close, Arunachal Pradesh finds itself at the crossroads of triumph and turmoil. On one hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged victorious, securing a third consecutive term in the assembly elections, a feat cementing its dominance in this strategically crucial frontier state. On the other, the year has exposed the underbelly of the region’s socio-economic fabric with chilling revelations of widespread sex trafficking involving minors.


The BJP’s victory was resounding, with 46 of the 60 assembly seats in its grasp, including an unprecedented ten uncontested wins. Chief Minister Pema Khandu credited the success to infrastructure projects, welfare schemes and the state’s integration into India’s broader economic ambitions. The Congress has been further relegated to political irrelevance in the state as evinced in the poll results.


Yet beneath this veneer of political stability lies a harrowing story that has tarnished the year’s narrative. In August, survivors of a sprawling sex-trafficking network bravely broke their silence, leading to the arrest of nine individuals who had allegedly preyed on minors for years. Among the accused were government employees, including a health worker and a police officer, highlighting the depth of institutional rot. The Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (APSCPCR) called for stringent action, urging the dismissal of implicated officials.


The revelations are part of a broader, grimmer picture. In Lower Subansiri district, authorities rescued victims from an interstate trafficking ring, while in May this year, another network targeting minors from Assam was dismantled. These cases underscore the urgent need for a systemic overhaul in law enforcement and social welfare mechanisms.


Adding to the state’s woes is the contentious debate over hydropower development, a sector touted as the keystone of Arunachal’s economic future. The proposed 12,500 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) has ignited fierce protests from indigenous communities, who argue that the project threatens to submerge fertile farmland and displace thousands. The Siang Indigenous Farmers Forum (SIFF) has emerged as a vocal opponent, staging demonstrations against the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and local authorities.


This resistance echoes a broader tension between the state’s aspirations for development and the rights of its indigenous peoples. Even as the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved investments worth Rs. 3,689 crore for hydropower projects in Shi Yomi district, environmental and cultural concerns continue to stoke local opposition.


Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, an ardent proponent of hydropower, remains undeterred. Announcing plans for 11 major projects between 2025 and 2027, he described these initiatives as transformative for Arunachal’s economy, promising job creation and enhanced power generation. The challenge, however, lies in balancing these ambitions with the preservation of the state’s unique cultural and ecological heritage.


Meanwhile, governance reforms have aimed to rebuild public trust, particularly after the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) was engulfed in a scandal over leaked examination papers in 2020. This year marked a cautious step forward as the Commission successfully conducted preliminary exams for the state civil services after a four-year hiatus.


Arunachal Pradesh’s trajectory in 2024 reflects the complexities of a state striving to reconcile rapid political and economic transformations with deep-seated social challenges. While the BJP’s electoral juggernaut showcases the allure of development-driven narratives, the state’s darker episodes of trafficking and displacement remind its leaders that progress must be holistic, inclusive and just.


As the frontier state marches into 2025, its leaders face a daunting task to sustain political victories while addressing the scars of exploitation and preserving the sanctity of its indigenous identity.

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