- People in the know would vouch that few issues come with the inherent wherewithal and inbuilt strength to unite the entire nation irrespective of differing ideologies, caste, creed, class, religion, and status. Correct me if I am wrong whilst mentioning that sporting triumphs and military achievements carry overwhelmingly strong sentiments which never fail to bring together citizens. Euphoric celebrations, a sense of pride, patriotic fervor, and unconcealed emotions browsing through common people whenever fellow countrymen achieve spectacular success in the sporting arena are quite common to witness. That too in a country like India which hardly witness worthy achievements in the world of sports is a sight to behold.
PC: Ankita Singh
- Yes, India has had sporadic success in the global sporting platforms like the Olympics in shooting and recently, javelin throw where individuals like Abhinav Bindra and Neeraj Chopra excelled by winning the coveted Gold. However, success in team sports is rare and far in-between. We all know how Indian cricket took off after the Kapil Dev-led team emerged winners in the 1983 world cup in England. There was no looking back as Cricket has gained unquestionable roots and a ubiquitous presence in the country since then. You see, cricket being called a religion in India speaks volumes about its popularity and widespread acceptance. With the Thomas Cup triumph under its kitty, badminton too is poised to follow suit in the coming days.
- In what can only be described as a truly historic feat for Indian badminton, Team India shuttlers put up a spectacular performance to not only reach the final of the Thomas Cup but also defeat Indonesia-the most decorated team in men’s badminton. Note that Indonesia, which has won this tournament 14 times, had history and reputation on its side. Thankfully, that failed to overwhelm Indian shuttlers like Lakshya Sen, Chirag Shetty, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, and Kidambi Srikanth who took India over the finishing line with an incredible 3-0 score. The victory underscores the depth of Indian badminton today. Yes, the sport has had outstanding individual performers for quite some time now, but not putting together a world-class team per se.
PC: BWF STAFF
- This shows the true health of the game in the country. Admirably, all the players who played the final ranked among the top 15 in the world. Looking back, things truly started changing after Saina Nehwal won the Commonwealth Games following it up with bronze at the 2012 London Olympics taking the popularity of the sport to a whole new level. With PV Sindhu’s successes on the international stage following shortly, Indian badminton had truly arrived. Due credit goes to two hubs of Indian badminton viz. the Pullela Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad and the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy in Bengaluru. Similar hubs in other parts of the country would ensure precocious talents are unearthed, groomed, and trained to compete at the international levels. Many congratulations to shuttlers for making us proud.
