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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.

Shinde, the new star on the horizon

Updated: Nov 25, 2024

Eknath Shinde

Mumbai: It’s a double win for Eknath Shinde. Not only has the chief minister won his seat of Kopri-Pachpakhadi, but his Shiv Sena faction has emerged as the second largest party in the state of Maharashtra — with 55 seats.

Following the win, Shinde acknowledged the people’s mandate, expressing his gratitude to the people for giving a thumping majority and a landslide victory to the Mahayuti. “I extend my heartfelt thanks to my beloved sisters, farmers, youths, and all segments who have voted for us. This is a reflection of the work we have done in the last two-and-a-half years.”


Speaking to reporters Saturday evening, the BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis said the Mahayuti leaders had been instructed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah that the Chief Minister would be selected after a consultation between all. “There will be no dispute about who will be the Chief Minister... it was decided from day one that, after the election, the leaders of the three parties will sit together and decide this,” he said. “The decision will be acceptable to everyone, there is no dispute on this.”


Meanwhile, senior leaders said that there is no doubt CM Shinde has led the alliance from the forefront and was quick in making decisions which has benefited the MahaYuti alliance in this election. Moreover, strong support from PM Narendra Modi and HM Amit Shah made it easier to win the election. “If talking about who will be the next CM will only be decided by top leaders of MahaYuti. But one cannot deny current CM Shinde has worked towards the progress of Maharashtra not only but also strengthen the alliance by having fruitful discussions before taking any step so that it doesn’t get backfired,” he said.


The win has also solidified Shinde’s position in Maharashtra politics, with many stating that he is now the true inheritor of Bal Thackeray’s legacy. His deputy, Devendra Fadnavis went one step ahead and said, “People have given their mandate and have accepted Eknath Shinde as the real Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar has got the legitimacy of NCP.”


Shiv Sena contested a total of 81 seats. As per the Election Commission, of this, they are ahead in 55 seats. This gives the Shinde a winning strike rate of 67.9 per cent.


Eknath Shinde is also one of the brains behind the popular Ladki Bahin Yojana, which has been credited for the MahaYuti alliance’s thumping victory. The scheme ensures a monthly support of Rs 1,500 to underprivileged women, aged 21 to 65. Many poll pundits believe that it is this very scheme that led to 53 lakh more women voting in these elections compared to 2019, and their voting percentage rising by six percentage points.


Moreover, Shinde has been hailed for his hands-on approach as the chief minister of the state. He also has been able to secure the trust of the BJP. Last month, when a reporter even asked Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis about the CM face of the Mahayuti, the BJP leader pointed to Shinde.


As chief minister, Shinde has also been credited for being accessible. People from his faction as well as the Mahayuti alliance have said that the doors of Varsha, the official residence of Maharashtra chief minister, have always been open to all.


Shinde has also held his own in the Mahayuti alliance. He’s driven a hard bargain during the Lok Sabha and Assembly election seat negotiations, ensuring that his faction isn’t run over by Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis, the two bigger leaders. As one Sena leader told the Indian Express, “Shinde has successfully made sure his people get justice and are rehabilitated which helped him ensure support for him among his party leaders remains intact and the party is strengthened.”

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