Haryana Basketball Tragedy: 16-Year-Old Hardik Said “Dada, I’ll Be Captain”… But Never Returned

The interview opens with Hardik’s father and grandfather describing how the young athlete left home that morning with dreams of becoming the captain of India’s basketball team, only to never return. They allege severe administrative negligence, saying the poles were old, rusted, and repeatedly reported but never repaired. A government grant sanctioned in 2023 for upgrades was allegedly never utilised.

Hardik’s coach, Mohit Rathi, confirms he was present at the court and says the pole “looked fine from outside but was completely damaged from inside.” Despite rushing Hardik to the hospital within minutes, doctors could not save him.

Family members say suspending the district sports officer “means nothing” and demand an indoor stadium in Hardik’s name and a regular government job for his father. They stress that other children must not suffer due to poor sports infrastructure.

In her conclusion, Ms Barkha Dutt highlights the deeper issue: that India celebrates its athletes only after success but often ignores the unsafe, neglected systems they train in. Hardik’s death, she notes, is not an accident—it is a failure of accountability.