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New Delhi: Indian badminton star H. S. Prannoy has spoken openly about the lack of recognition for badminton achievements in India, saying the sport often receives attention only when players win gold medals.

Prannoy’s remarks came after India secured a bronze medal at the Thomas Cup, one of badminton’s most prestigious international team tournaments. The Indian squad’s achievement sparked debate after doubles stars Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy shared emotional posts on social media highlighting the lack of public attention around the team’s performance.

The duo had posted photographs of the Indian squad after returning home and wrote: “Back home now. As usual, no one knows what happened over the past two weeks, and it seems like no one really cares.”

The post quickly went viral and triggered widespread discussions regarding the limited recognition given to Indian athletes outside cricket.

Prannoy clarifies players are not demanding support

Speaking during an interaction with sports journalist Boria Majumdar, Prannoy clarified that Indian badminton players have received strong institutional support from the government and sports authorities.

He stressed that the issue was not about funding or facilities but about awareness and appreciation for achievements in badminton.

“I want to clarify what we really meant,” Prannoy said.

“We have received immense support from the government, the association, TOPS and the Sports Authority of India. The discussion shifted towards people thinking we were asking for support, which is completely wrong,” he explained.

According to Prannoy, the real concern is that many people in India still do not fully understand the importance of tournaments like the Thomas Cup.

“The Thomas Cup is the World Cup for us,” he said.

India created history by winning the Thomas Cup title in 2022, becoming only the sixth nation ever to win the prestigious competition dominated for decades by countries like China and Indonesia.

Prannoy pointed out that India had struggled for years even to progress beyond the group stages before becoming champions and now consistently competing for medals.

‘If we are not winning gold, it is not news’

Prannoy said Indian badminton now faces a different challenge because the standards set by legends such as Saina Nehwal and P. V. Sindhu have become extraordinarily high.

According to him, the success of those champions has created a perception that anything less than a gold medal is not worthy of celebration.

“Players like Saina Nehwal and P. V. Sindhu have raised the bar so much that if you are not winning gold, it is not considered news,” Prannoy said.

He added that expecting gold medals every year is unrealistic and could undermine appreciation for strong performances.

“We are not going to hit those peaks every year. Whenever we do reasonably well, we should celebrate and acknowledge it,” he said.

Prannoy explained that the Indian team exceeded expectations at the latest Thomas Cup, despite entering the tournament seeded eighth.

“Only the top four teams were expected to reach the podium, but we did better than expected. Yet people say, ‘It’s just a bronze medal’. That is disappointing,” he remarked.

Concerns over impact on young players

Prannoy also warned that the lack of recognition could negatively influence the next generation of badminton players.

He said young athletes observing the limited attention around major international medals may begin to believe such tournaments are unimportant.

“When youngsters see there is no buzz around a Thomas Cup medal, they may feel the tournament itself is not important. That sends a very negative message,” he said.

The badminton player urged stakeholders, media organisations and fans to collectively support the sport more consistently instead of only celebrating major gold-medal victories.

Cricket comparison and future of badminton

Prannoy compared badminton’s situation with cricket in India, noting that cricket continued receiving support and popularity even during long gaps between World Cup victories.

“There was a gap between 1983 and 2007 when India did not win the cricket World Cup, but cricket was still celebrated throughout,” he said.

He stressed that Indian badminton needs long-term ecosystem support to continue growing internationally.

The player also expressed concern that badminton could become overly individual-centric if team achievements continue to receive limited recognition.

Citing Neeraj Chopra as an example, Prannoy said Indian sports often celebrate only exceptional individual stars rather than the broader sporting ecosystem.

“Otherwise, badminton will become an individualistic sport where only individual medals are highlighted,” he warned.

Prannoy concluded by saying his intention was not criticism but a request for collective celebration of achievements so that future players remain motivated to compete at the highest level.

“We want juniors to feel these tournaments matter and that it is worth dedicating their lives to this sport,” he said.