Indian badminton star and Paris Olympics-bound athlete Chirag Shetty has accused the Maharashtra government of neglecting badminton after they felicitated the T20 World Cup winning cricket team stars but ignored badminton players’ achievements.
Maharashtra Govt celebrates T20 WC champions
The controversy comes just a day after the Maharashtra government did a grand felicitation ceremony for Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
On Friday they also announced the cash reward of Rs 11 crore for the T20 World Cup champions, India Cricket Team.
Chirag Shetty demands equal treatment
However, Chirag Shetty, a key player in India’s historic Thomas Cup triumph in 2022, feels slighted. Shetty, the only Maharashtra player in the victorious Indian team, believes the government should treat all sports equally.
“Thomas Cup is equivalent to winning the World Cup,” Chirag Shetty told TOI.
“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 govt can honour World Cup-winning cricket stars, they should have also recognised my efforts. Government should treat any other sport equally.”
Call for fair play by Chirag Shetty
Chirag Shetty clarified that he has no qualms with cricket or the cricketers. He, along with his fellow badminton players, celebrated India’s T20 World Cup win. However, he emphasizes the need for the government to acknowledge achievements across different sports.
“I have nothing against cricket. In fact, we all badminton players watched the T20 World Cup final live on TV and celebrated enthusiastically. We are happy and proud about their sensational win against South Africa in the final. Similarly, we had also achieved something remarkable a couple of years ago, but the state government did not even felicitate me, leave apart giving any cash rewards. Before 2022, the Indian badminton team had never even reached the semifinals but we created history by winning the title,“ said the 27-year-old Khel Ratna awardee.
History-Making Feat Ignored by Maha Govt?
In 2022, the Indian badminton team, with Chirag Shetty playing a pivotal role, scripted history by winning the prestigious Thomas Cup, defeating badminton powerhouse Indonesia in the final.
This marked the first time ever that India had reached the Thomas Cup finals, let alone win the championship.
Maharashtra’s selective recognition raises questions
Chirag Shetty’s disappointment highlights a larger issue of unequal treatment for different sporting disciplines in India. His call for fair recognition from the Maharashtra government has sparked a conversation about the need for a more balanced approach to celebrating sporting achievements.
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