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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 fire fighter!

Updated: Nov 7, 2024

Vinod Tawde

BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde, who had always been known as the ‘fire fighter’ since his days as organization secretary in the ABVP, has successfully mediated and persuaded several rebels to withdraw their nominations against the BJP or Mahayuti nominees.


Tawde’s organizational as well as enterprising abilities have received praise even from his political opponents. The then DCM Ajit Pawar’s welcome speech in the legislature when Tawde became the leader of opposition in 2011 was full of praise for all such qualities of Tawde.


Born on July 20, 1963, Tawde completed his secondary education at St. Anthonia High School, Santacruz, and his higher secondary education at Parle College, Vile Parle in Mumbai and then pursued a vocational course from Dnyaneshwar Vidyapeeth in Pune while he was an ABVP activist. His impeccable organizational skills saw him quickly rise through the ranks to become the Secretary-General of ABVP in 1988 and later the National Secretary in 1993.


In 1995, Tawde was appointed as the General Secretary of the BJP’s Maharashtra unit, a position he held until 1999 and again from 2002 to 2011. In 1999, he became the President of the Mumbai City Unit of the BJP, making him the youngest person to hold this position.


Tawde served in various legislative capacities. He was a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council from 2008 to 2014 and served as the Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council from 2011 to 2014. In 2014, he was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from the Borivali constituency.


He also held several key ministerial positions in the Maharashtra government between 2014 and 2019, including the Minister for School Education, Higher and Technical Education, Sports and Youth Welfare, Minority Development, and Marathi Language and Culture. His tenure was marked by efforts to improve the education system and promote Marathi culture.


He is married to Varsha Pawar Tawde, a social worker and writer. The couple has a daughter named Anvee Tawde. Tawde’s family has a strong connection to the RSS, with his father, Shreedhar Ramchandra Tawde, being a member of the organization.


Since November 2021, Tawde is serving the party as the National General Secretary, a testament to his enduring influence and leadership within the party.


Vinod Tawde’s journey from a student activist to a senior leader in one of India’s major political parties highlights his dedication and resilience. His contributions to education and cultural affairs in Maharashtra have left a lasting impact, and his role in the BJP continues to shape the political landscape of India.

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