Chirag Shetty Questions Maharashtra Government for Ignoring Badminton Achievements

Indian badminton star Chirag Shetty has expressed his disappointment over the Maharashtra government's decision to felicitate the T20 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team while ignoring his own achievements. Shetty, who was part of the Indian badminton team that won the prestigious Thomas Cup in 2022, believes that the government should treat all sports equally.

"Thomas Cup is equivalent to winning the World Cup," Shetty said. "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 honor World Cup-winning cricket stars, they should also recognize my efforts. Government should treat any other sport equally."

Shetty's comments come after the Maharashtra government felicitated the Indian cricket team with a cash prize of ₹11 crore for their historic T20 World Cup victory. The team was also given a heroes' welcome in New Delhi and Mumbai.

Shetty, along with his doubles partner Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, has achieved remarkable success in recent years. The duo won the Commonwealth Games gold medal, a bronze at the World Championships in 2022, and a gold at the Hangzhou Asian Games. They also claimed the French Open and Thailand Open title wins this year.

"I have nothing against cricket," Shetty said. "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."

Shetty's comments have sparked a debate about the importance of recognizing achievements in all sports. Many believe that the government should provide equal support and recognition to all athletes, regardless of their sport.

Tags: #ThomasCup, #Badminton, #Cricket, #SportsEquality, #MaharashtraGovernment