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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.

Power Player Faces a Crucial Test

Updated: Nov 7, 2024

Devendra Fadnavis

When the story of Maharashtra’s political landscape is written, one name besides Sharad Pawar that will be prominently featured is Devendra Fadnavis.


Known as “Deva Bhau” among his supporters in Nagpur and across Maharashtra, Fadnavis remains a figure of both admiration and criticism. As Chief Minister from 2014 to 2019, he became one of the most beloved leaders, yet in the years since, particularly on social media, he has drawn significant backlash.


Comparisons with political veteran Sharad Pawar are inevitable, but Fadnavis stands out as Maharashtra’s only Chief Minister in recent history to have served a full five-year term. This achievement is attributed to his sharp political acumen, strong connection with the party cadre, and an effective rapport with the state bureaucracy.


After the 2019 elections, despite the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance securing a mandate, political differences prevented them from forming a government. However, since then, not a single MLA has defected from Fadnavis’s side, nor have serious allegations been raised against him, underscoring his resilience and the loyalty he inspires. As Maharashtra gears up for the 2024 elections, all eyes are on Fadnavis, a man the party leadership believes can turn the tide, particularly with RSS backing.


The stakes this time are high for both Fadnavis and his opposition, including Sharad Pawar. With the BJP’s reliance on its allies – Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction and Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction – Fadnavis has publicly acknowledged the need for unified efforts to secure power. However, the Pawar factor looms large.


Sharad Pawar has strategically fielded strong candidates, making it clear he is focusing on individual party wins. This move indicates that Ajit Pawar’s faction may not significantly impact Pawar’s influence.


The BJP faces a challenging electoral battle. Direct contests with Congress are anticipated to be tough, given the consolidation of Dalit-Muslim votes and the potential split of Maratha and OBC votes. Fadnavis’s strategy appears focused on drawing votes away from the UBT faction (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sena), with support from the Shinde faction and Raj Thackeray’s MNS. If this vote-splitting strategy works, Fadnavis could edge closer to power.


A key challenge for Fadnavis lies in retaining Maratha support, especially amid the rising influence of Manoj Jarange Patil. Patil’s vocal demands for Maratha reservation have garnered widespread backing within the community, presenting a roadblock for Fadnavis. While Fadnavis has advocated for Maratha reservation, legal hurdles have prevented progress, and he now faces criticism from Patil and others.


For Fadnavis, the elections are nothing short of an agnipariksha (trial by fire), as he navigates alliances, community expectations, and fierce competition.

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