'Otherwise, how will India become a sporting nation and how will we compete to beat China to win 60 Olympic medals?'
World No. 3 doubles badminton player Chirag Shetty, who was part of India's 2022 Thomas Cup-winning team, expressed disappointment that he was not honoured for this achievement while four Maharashtra cricketers, including Rohit Sharma, received recognition and a Rs 11 crore prize for their roles in India's T20 World Cup victory.
Chirag emphasised that the Thomas Cup is as significant as the World Cup in cricket and called for equal treatment for all sports. Despite his frustration, Shetty clarified that he holds no grudge against cricket, noting that he and other badminton players celebrated India's T20 World Cup win enthusiastically.
'Thomas Cup is equivalent to winning the World Cup. I was part of the Indian badminton team which won its maiden title, shocking champions Indonesia in the final. I was the only Maharashtra player in the Indian team. When the government can honour World Cup-winning cricket stars, they should have also recognised my efforts. Government should treat any other sport equally,' Chirag said.
2012 Olympic bronze medalist Saina Nehwal echoed this sentiment, highlighting the need for equitable attention across all sports.
'Everyone knows what Saina Nehwal, wrestlers, boxers, and Neeraj Chopra are doing because we have consistently performed and been in the news,' Nehwal said on the Nikhil Simha podcast.
'Even if I say bad things about cricket, cricket will be there, because it is loved by everyone. I love it, but you have to also give that kind of attention to other sports, otherwise, how will India become a sporting nation and how will we compete to beat China to win 60 Olympic medals? There's no way, it will always be cricket,' Saina added.
Despite her love for cricket, Saina noted that its popularity in India is unshakable. She argued that for India to become a sporting nation capable of competing with countries like China in the Olympics, equal attention must be given to all sports.
