Source: Action Images /WEIXIANG LIM
[Saba Sports News] After Chirag Chandrashekhar Shetty won the 2022 Thomas Cup badminton team championship, there was no grand parade, no congratulations, and no recognition when he returned to his hometown of Maharashtra. There was no cash reward, and the state didn’t even send out a congratulatory tweet. Two years have passed, and his feat is yet to be acknowledged by the Maharashtra government. However, when Rohit Sharma and three others won the T20 Cricket World Cup, the Maharashtra government showed great enthusiasm and awarded them 1.1 Crores in prize money. Chirag Shetty was very dissatisfied with this and expressed his disappointment in an article, condemning the state government’s differential treatment. Chirag Shetty clarified that he has no bias against cricketers, but winning the Thomas Cup is equivalent to winning the Badminton World Cup. This is the first time India has won the Thomas Cup. Before 2022, the Indian badminton team had never even reached the semi-finals, making history. The state government should acknowledge their efforts and treat them equally to any other sport.