top of page

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 curious case of Shrinivas Vanga

Shrinivas Vanga

Mumbai: “I have committed a grave mistake of siding with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and joining his party”. These were the words of Srinivas Vanga who went missing on Monday evening. The cops have started a search operation for the missing MLA and heavy bandobast has been deployed at his residence.

Srinivas Vanga, a sitting MLA from Palghar affiliated with Shiv Sena, has been missing since two days after leaving home without notice. This comes amidst Vanga’s disappointment over being denied a party ticket for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections.


Somewhat shy and introvert Srinivas Vanga hardly spoke in the assembly. Though he was in touch with the voters of his constituency, he never raised any important issue in the house. He preferred to sit quietly on the last bench. Eyebrows were raised when he joined Shinde after the split in Shiv Sena.


Softspoken Srinivas first contested Lok Sabha by-election as a Shiv Sena nominee and lost. In the 2019 Assembly election he was elected from Palghar constituency. This time around he was expecting the renomination.


Vanga’s family has since voiced concern over his well-being. They revealed that he has been struggling emotionally, withdrawing from communication and displaying signs of deep distress. His wife Suman, who is also very upset, revealed that he just took a few clothes in a small bag and left the house. The Shiv Sena leader has made no contact with anyone since then. He had reportedly stopped eating, openly weeping and even hinting at self-harm due to the disappointment.


Upon learning of the decision of party leadership, Vanga repeatedly expressed regret over his alliance with Shinde. While speaking to reporters, Vanga was weeping. He praised Uddhav Thackeray as a dev manus (God-like man), further reflecting his regret.


The Chief Minister Shinde reportedly reached out to Vanga’s wife, assuring her that her husband might still be considered for a position in the Maharashtra legislative council seat.


The MLA, son of the late BJP MP Chintaman Vanga, won his seat in 2019 as a Shiv Sena candidate before the party split. He later supported Shinde’s faction during the rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership, expecting to be re-nominated. However, the party announced its candidates over the weekend and selected former MP Rajendra Gavit to represent Palghar, leaving Vanga out. In its list of 20 nominees announced on Sunday, the Shiv Sena fielded Gavit from the Palghar assembly constituency.


The emotional weight of Vanga’s situation has gained widespread attention, with videos of his remarks and tearful moments circulating on social media and news channels, stirring public and political discussions.

Comments

bottom of page