Winners, Losers, and the Hidden Costs of IPL’s Glittering Spectacle : Dr .M.Suresh Babu, President, Praja Science Vedika

The Indian Premier League (IPL), hailed as one of the world's most successful cricket leagues, has become more than just a sports tournament — it's a cultural phenomenon.

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Yet behind the glittering lights, celebrity endorsements, and booming economy lies a darker, largely unspoken side: addiction, social unrest, and loss of life.

Celebration Turns Tragic

When the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) clinched a crucial IPL victory this season, the Karnataka government declared a holiday to celebrate. The team was taken in an open-top, multi-axle bus from HAL Airport to the Vidhana Soudha, where a grand felicitation ceremony took place. But while the cheers echoed outside the state assembly, tragedy struck at Chinnaswamy Stadium nearby. A stampede during a public celebration led to the death of 11 people, with hundreds more injured. The event was meant to celebrate avictory, not even an international tournament, in a commercial league where both teams featured players from across India and abroad. The sentiment of state pride seemed misplaced in a franchise model where neither sponsors nor players are bound to a region.

The Question of Patriotism