Paris Olympics Bound Chirag Shetty Criticises Maharashtra Government for Favoritism Towards Cricket After Grand Welcome to T20 World Champions

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Indian badminton star Chirag Shetty has voiced his frustration over the Maharashtra Government's preferential treatment towards cricket, highlighting the disparity in recognition and rewards given to different sports.

On Friday, July 5, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde felicitated the Mumbai-based cricketers Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Shivam Dube in the Indian team that won the T20 World Cup 2024 and announced a cash reward of Rs 11 crore.

Chirag Shetty expressed his disappointment over the lack of recognition for his achievements, particularly after he and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy played crucial roles in India's historic Thomas Cup win in 2022.

"Thomas Cup is equivalent to winning the World Cup. 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 govt can honor World Cup-winning cricket stars, they should have also recognized my efforts. Government should treat any other sport equally," Chirag Shetty told TOI.

Chirag and his partner Satwiksairaj Rankireddy have achieved significant milestones in Indian badminton. They became the first Indian pair to reach World No. 1 in men's doubles earlier this year, holding the top spot for 12 weeks.

Although they currently rank third, their achievements include a World Championships bronze in 2022 and an Asian Games gold in men's doubles in 2023. The duo has also been honored with the Bharat Khel Ratna for their contributions to the sport.

'The state government did not even felicitate me' - Chirag Shetty

"I have nothing against cricket. 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," he added.

Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy are currently training at the national camp in Hyderabad, preparing for the Paris Olympics 2024. The duo aims to bring further glory to Indian badminton on the global stage, hoping for more equitable recognition of their achievements in the future