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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.

The Constitution of Your Money

On the eve of India’s Republic Day, we proudly remember the adoption of our Constitution - a document that gave structure, stability and direction to a young nation. It did not promise instant success, but it provided a framework strong enough to withstand crises, disagreements and change. Interestingly, the same philosophy applies to personal finance.


Just as a nation cannot function without a Constitution, your money too needs a clear set of rules. Wealth is not built by chance or luck. It is built by discipline, structure and long-term thinking.


Right to Financial Dignity

The Constitution guarantees citizens fundamental rights. In personal finance, you too have rights - the right to financial security, the right to dignity in retirement, and the right to protect your family’s future. These rights do not come automatically. They are earned through systematic investing, adequate insurance and prudent planning. Ignoring these rights early in life often leads to financial dependence later, something no individual truly wants.


Responsibility of Discipline

Along with rights come duties. Citizens are expected to uphold the values of the Constitution. Similarly, investors must uphold financial discipline. Saving regularly, investing sufficiently and consistently, avoiding unnecessary debt and living within one’s means are not optional habits - they are duties. Many people want wealth, but few respect the responsibility that comes with building it. Without discipline, even high incomes fail to create lasting financial stability.


Managing Risk

A strong republic survives because power is balanced across institutions. In finance, this balance comes from asset allocation and diversification. Long-term goals should be supported by inflation-beating assets such as stocks, mutual funds and gold. Money meant for short-term goals must be parked in safer avenues like bank fixed deposits, recurring deposits or debt mutual funds.


This allocation ensures that you create wealth while also having liquidity for near-term expenses or emergencies. Equally important is protecting your assets with adequate health insurance and term life insurance.


Evolving With Life

Our Constitution allows amendments to stay relevant over time. Financial plans too must evolve. Income changes, family responsibilities grow, goals shift and priorities change. A plan made three years ago may not suit today’s reality. Reviewing and updating investments periodically is not a sign of uncertainty, but of maturity. Flexibility ensures relevance without abandoning core principles.


Process Over Emotion

A republic functions because laws are followed, not because emotions are trusted. Similarly, successful investing depends on process, not panic or excitement.

Market highs and lows will come and go. Investors who react emotionally often do more harm than good. Those who follow a clear financial framework remain aligned with their long-term goals. As we celebrate Republic Day, it is worth reflecting that freedom alone is not enough - structure sustains freedom. A nation survives because its Constitution is respected. Wealth survives because financial discipline is respected.

Your money deserves a Constitution of its own.


(The writer is a Chartered Accountant and CFA (USA). Financial Advisor. He could be reached on 9833133605. Views personal.)

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