The recent performance of the Indian men’s badminton team at the Thomas Cup has once again highlighted a disconnect in the nation's sporting culture. Despite securing a bronze medal at the marquee event, the Indian team did not get any kind of reception when they arrived at the airport. The athletes returned to a chillingly quiet reception at the airport and they honestly didn’t seem all that surprised. The bronze-medal winning duo of Satwiksairaj Ranki Reddy and Chirag Shetty claimed that India isn’t a sporting nation. The silence at the airport arrival terminal suggests that our approach to non-cricket sports is a very concerning one and people may not even follow the other sports or even take pride in its achievements.

"To be honest, we did not expect anyone to come to the airport, None of us expected it. Even after we won the Thomas Cup in 2022, no one had come. It feels bad for sure. India is not a sporting nation. It is not as if we are winning medals every single day. So when we do, it is important that these medals are celebrated,” said Chirag Shetty to RevSportzGlobal. India stands at a crossroads where it must decide if it wants to be a "one-sport wonder" or a true sporting nation. As Shetty pointed out, we do not win medals every single day, making the ones we do secure incredibly precious.

Lack of public celebration for non-cricket achievements questions India’s Olympic ambitions

The emotional disappointment of a "silent arrival" is significant. Athletes like Chirag Shetty spend months in difficult training procedures, often away from family, competing against the world's best. When they win a medal in a world team championship, the expectation isn't for a parade every time, but for a sense of collective pride. While cricketers are surrounded by paparazzis at airports for routine series wins, world-class achievements in badminton or athletics often fly under the radar. Public celebration creates a hero culture and when a child sees a crowd waiting for a champion, they see a viable future in that sport but in non-cricket sports such practices are non-existent.

To bridge this gap, the responsibility lies both with the fans and the system. It involves moving beyond the "medal-only" fandom and appreciating the efforts as well. Shetty’s words serve as a wake-up call to those people who call out India for the lack of medals in the Olympics. It feels bad when the nation’s highest achievers feel like strangers in their own home.

Unless an athlete wins an Olympic medal, nobody wants to know the story of Sakshi Malik or Manu Bhaker. It is time we start treating every world champion with the same fervor, ensuring that the next time a history-maker lands, they aren't met with an empty terminal, but with the roar of a grateful nation.

If we only cheer when the cameras are already rolling, we fail the very athletes who put India on top amongst their opponents. Genuine celebration is the fuel that drives the next generation to pick up a racket or a javelin. We cannot expect a medal rush at the Olympics if we do not celebrate their achievements during the intervening years.