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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.

Uddhav’s choice of candidates sends a firm message to cadre

Updated: Oct 30, 2024

Uddhav

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena’s (UBT) selection of candidates in Mumbai indicates that the party is banking on its loyal leaders to remain relevant in the city than inducting new comers on a large scale.


The party’s case is proven in two particular constituencies, Dahisar and Jogeshwari (East). In Dahisar, it has fielded veteran Vinod Ghosalkar against the BJP’s Manisha Choudhary. Ghosalkar lost his promising son Abhishek last year as he was killed in his friend’s office over some dispute. A broken Ghosalkar was virtually out of the action. However, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has reposed faith in his trusted party worker.


In Jogeshwari (East), the party has fielded former councilor Anant aka Bala Nar against the Shiv Sena’s Manisha Waikar. This contest has become interesting since Ravindra Waikar, a one-time close confidant of Uddhav Thackeray, switched over to Shiv Sena, became a member of Lok Sabha and now managed to get a ticket for his wife Manisha in the Assembly election.


Nar was a like a shadow to Waikar. He ran the party’s one of the most vibrant branches in Jogeshwari. Nar was instrumental in construction of a theme park in this area. He also managed the Matoshree club, headed by Waikar.


Since the Shiv Sena (UBT) has maintained that it has cut off all the options to reunite with the BJP Thackeray’s strategy in Mumbai will be crucial. Mumbai has traditionally been a strong bastion of Uddhav Thackeray but will it continue to be so, remains another big question. Among the key constituencies that are need to be watched in Mumbai region is the Worli constituency seat.


Dadar has been a traditional stronghold of the Shiv Sena right from its conception has been facing competition from the MNS. The latter has secured deep inroads in Dadar securing five seats of BMC in the last elections.


This time round Amit, Raj Thackeray’s son will be contesting from Mahim, Dadar’s adjoining constituency which was earlier won by MNS heavy weight senior leader Nitin Sardesai, who is a resident of Shivaji Park and exercises a sufficient clout over voters’ mind that ensures Amit Thackeray’s significant achievement in that constituency.

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