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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.

SC allows BJP govt to withdraw cases against Centre, LG in AAP regime

  • PTI
  • May 23, 2025
  • 2 min read


New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday allowed the Delhi government to withdraw seven cases filed by the erstwhile AAP government against the Centre and Lieutenant Governor over issues including the control over services in the capital.


A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih took note of the submissions of Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the BJP-led government, and allowed the plea.


After a lawyer raised the issue of non-payment of dues to advocates representing the previous government, Bhati assured the bench that it would be taken care of.


On May 22, the seven bitterly-contested cases filed by the erstwhile AAP-led Delhi government against the Centre and the LG were sought to be withdrawn from a bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh.


Bhati referred to the plea saying the seven cases pending in the top court challenged the authority of LG in several committees, including solid waste management, Yamuna River cleaning and against the validity of Acts and ordinances.


"These matters should not trouble this court anymore," she said.


The previous AAP-led Delhi government was involved in a bitterly fought legal battle in the top court over the powers including control over services in the national capital.


The top court in July, 2023 sought a response from the Centre on the then AAP government's plea challenging the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) (Amendment) Act, 2023 which created an authority for transfer and posting of Group-A officers in Delhi.


The Act, initially an ordinance, came a week after the Supreme Court handed over the control of services in Delhi excluding police, public order and land to the elected government.


It envisages to set up a National Capital Civil Service Authority for the transfer of and disciplinary proceedings against Group-A officers from the Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli (Civil) Services (DANICS) cadre.


Another such case was against a decision of the NGT, which was stayed in July 2023 by the top court.


The NGT order of January 19, 2023 asked LG to head a high-level committee constituted to deal with issues concerning Yamuna rejuvenation.


The NGT constituted the high-level committee of authorities concerned in Delhi, where pollution of Yamuna was higher (about 75 per cent) when compared to the other river basin states.


Other cases included a challenge to the alleged non-release of sanctioned funds for the Delhi Jal Board for the financial year 2023-2025 by the Finance Department of GNCTD; re-declaration that the LG of Delhi is bound by the aid and advice of the council of ministers of the GNCTD and directions for appointment of the chairperson of Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC).


The Delhi government also sought to withdraw the challenge to orders issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the LG with respect to release of payments to advocates appointed by the ministers without the concurrence of the LG of Delhi and the appointment of advocates on record (AoRs) and advocates in the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court.

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