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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.

‘Ten pc people have shifted to eco-friendly Ganesh idols’

Mana Shah, a Mumbaikar, began her professional journey at the age of 16 working alongside her father in their family business. In 2006, she came across a documentary ‘An Inconvenient Truth’, presented by former US Vice President Al Gore. The film opened her eyes to the pressing issue of climate change and highlighted just how little action people were taking. Shah changed her path from there. As a mother of two, she felt a strong urge to step up in the issue of climate change. This led her to develop ideas for ‘Green Practices’, a venture where she could channel her entrepreneurial acumen to promote a sustainable future for upcoming generations. Today, her company is also making big profit apart from working for the environment protection. In a conversation with ‘The Perfect Voice’, Shah shares her ideas behind eco-friendly Ganesh idols and the business around it. Excerpts…


Why did you choose to start making eco-friendly Ganpati idols? What inspired you?

When I started, nearly two lakh households in Mumbai were bringing home Ganesh idols made from PoP and painted with harmful, lead-based colours. Every year, during visarjan, we would see the devastating impact in the form of dead fish, polluted waters, and broken idols scattered across the shore. It was heartbreaking. I felt compelled to ask: if Ganpati is returning to his mother, why are we sending him back in a way that harms Mother Earth? We pray to him with so much devotion, but then let his remains pollute the very waters he came from. So I thought, why not offer a more respectful, meaningful way to bring Bappa home and send him off without causing damage? That’s how the idea of eco-friendly Ganpati idols was born. It was an attempt to make sustainability an integral part of how we celebrate without losing the essence of tradition.


How are your customers reacting to eco-friendly Ganesh idols?

People love them! In the beginning, there was hesitation. Many were concerned about the fragility of clay idols or whether they would break easily. There are strong beliefs tied to idol-breaking, so PoP seemed like the safer choice to them. But once they saw how beautiful, sturdy, and detailed the eco-friendly idols could be, and that they dissolve without harming the environment, they were convinced. And once they switch, they rarely go back. Some of our customers have been coming to us every single year for the last 10–12 years. They also love the fact that visarjan can be done at home in a clean, respectful way.


What is the demand like for eco-friendly Ganesh idols today?

The demand has grown significantly. When we started, we made just 50 idols. Today, we’re crossing the 3,000 mark. That tells you how much the mindset is changing. Ganeshotsav is an emotional, deeply personal festival, especially in Mumbai. More and more people are looking for ways to celebrate that are kinder to the planet. Once they discover that eco-friendly options don’t mean compromising on beauty or tradition, they’re eager to make the switch.

Do you have any idea of the current market size of eco-friendly Ganesh idols specifically in Mumbai?

Currently, around 2 lakh families in Mumbai bring Ganesh idols home each year. Of these, I’d say about 10 per cent have made the shift to eco-friendly idols. That’s a start, but we still have a long way to go. There’s a growing awareness, and we’re optimistic.


Where do you source your idols from? Do you make the idols yourself or collaborate with others?

Most of the idols are handcrafted in our own workshops. But we also work closely with artisans across Maharashtra, for example, those who specialise in paper mache Ganpati idols. Our goal is to offer a variety of eco-friendly options that suit different households and preferences. The paper mache idols are especially popular among families living abroad, as they’re lightweight, durable, and easy to ship. This way, even those far from home can celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi with the same emotion and reverence.

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