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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.

Train Travails

Train Travails
Train Travails

Mumbai’s suburban rail network, the city’s circulatory system, is under strain. On a typical day, the trains shuttle millions of commuters from the furthest reaches of the metropolis into its bustling heart. But increasingly, the system is faltering, plagued by derailments, power outages, and simmering frustration over poor service. Recent events underscore how the network is becoming as much a source of stress as it is a necessity for the city’s 80 lakh-odd residents who use it daily.


Recently, a local train derailed in Kalyan, halting its journey toward Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT). Thankfully, no injuries were reported, but the disruption highlights a growing trend of technical failures within the city’s rail infrastructure while putting a big question mark over the system’s ability to cope with mounting passenger demand. For many Mumbaikars, delays, cancellations and unplanned stops have become a routine inconvenience.


Yet, the problem is not just technical. A simmering discontent is beginning to manifest in ugly confrontations. A scuffle over spare change at Kalyan station ended with a ticket clerk being assaulted by a commuter. The incident has sparked a fresh wave of demands for better security at railway stations, as the staff now find themselves dealing not just with operational difficulties but with violence from frustrated passengers. While this case is an extreme example, it reflects escalating tensions in a system pushed to its limits.


These flashpoints are exacerbated by frequent service disruptions. A power supply failure between Thakurli and Kalyan recently paralyzed operations for an hour, leaving passengers stranded and walking along the tracks in search of alternate routes. Earlier this month, a new timetable rolled out by Central Railways has further angered commuters, particularly late-night travellers. The last trains to Karjat and Kasara now depart earlier than their counterparts on Western Railways, which continue to run services until 1 am. The move has been labelled “step-motherly” by the Suburban Passengers Association, which argues that workers on late shifts are being unfairly deprived of travel options.


The Western Railway network has not fared much better. Between September 30 and October 4, the addition of a sixth rail line between Ram Mandir Road and Malad slowed services to a crawl, with speeds limited to 30 kilometres per hour. Over 175 services were delayed or cancelled, leaving thousands of passengers scrambling to adjust their schedules. For a system relied upon by so many, such disruptions are not just inconveniences - they are daily crises. The financial capital of India, which prides itself on resilience, is finding its patience tested. The local train system, once a symbol of Mumbai’s spirit of enterprise and endurance, is beginning to buckle under the weight of neglect. Its commuters deserve better. What is needed is not just quick fixes or revised timetables, but a comprehensive overhaul of the network’s infrastructure and management. Mumbai’s lifeline is derailing - both literally and figuratively - and the city can no longer afford to wait for a solution.

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