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Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, prominent figures in Indian badminton doubles, have expressed their disappointment regarding the lack of recognition following their bronze medal victory at the recent Thomas Cup.

The Indian men's badminton squad, which included players like Hariharan Amsakarunan, Kiran George, Dhruv Kapila, Srikanth Kidambi, Prannoy HS, Arjun M. R, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Lakshya Sen, Chirag Shetty, and Ayush Shetty, secured a bronze medal after being defeated by Denmark in the semifinals.

This bronze marks only the second medal for India in the prestigious Thomas Cup, following their historic gold medal win, and represents a significant achievement in the tournament's history.

Muted Welcome for Thomas Cup Heroes

Upon their return to New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on May 5, the Indian badminton team was greeted with a lackluster reception, devoid of any significant celebrations or crowds to honor their accomplishment.

Both Satwiksairaj and Chirag took to Instagram to voice their disappointment, sharing a message that underscored the absence of recognition for their achievement.

"Back home now. As usual, no one knows what happened over the past two weeks, and it seems like no one really cares," they posted on Instagram.

Reflections on Recognition in Indian Sports

Their post seems to reflect a broader issue regarding the lack of acknowledgment for sports achievements outside of cricket in India.

In contrast to the massive celebrations following India's T20 World Cup victories in 2024 and 2026, as well as the Women's ODI World Cup win in 2025, the muted response to the badminton team's success highlights the disparity in recognition.

Chirag Shetty candidly remarked that India is not yet a true sporting nation, emphasizing that while medals are being won, athletes in sports other than cricket often do not receive the recognition they deserve.

"The general public, I feel, didn’t really know the magnitude of the (2022) result and that, sometimes, really makes me sad because I think we are not a sporting nation yet," Chirag stated.

Need for Greater Celebration of Sporting Achievements

Chirag further noted that while the government has made commendable efforts to support athletes, the public's role in celebrating sporting achievements is crucial.

"We win a lot of medals, but we don’t celebrate our athletes the way we should. There’s plenty more that we need to do. There’s only very little that the government can do, which they are already doing," he added.

The dominance of cricket in India's sports culture often overshadows accomplishments in other disciplines, making it challenging for these athletes to gain the recognition they deserve.