Kolkata: It was a tragic end to what could have perhaps been a promising career.
In a case that can best be described as an outcome of excessive expectations and parental pressure, 14-year-old Biswadip Bhattacharya – a table tennis protégé from Kolkata - died on Monday after several hours of grueling practice sessions.
Biswadip’s father, allegedly a hard taskmaster, is now being blamed for the sportstar’s untimely death.
"His father used to hit him everytime he lost a match. He wanted him to be a champion always. I used to tell him to hit me instead of my son but he wouldn't listen," says Biswadip’s mother Papia Bhattacharya.
Biswadip - who was the state table tennis champ - collapsed and died soon after he was allegedly hit on the head by his father for not performing to several hours of non-stop practice.
His sister Neha Bhattacharya also blames their father for Biswadip's death. "He used to hit us if we didn't play well," says Neha.
On the fateful day, the brother-sister duo started practice at 0730 hrs (IST).
After a few hours, Biswadip complained of uneasiness and wanted to stop.
But his father forced him into continuing till past noon, hitting him whenever he missed a shot.
Finally, an exhausted Biswadip collapsed and was declared dead when he was rushed to a nearby hospital.
So what could have been the reason for an seemingly fit teenager to collapse?
“He could have had a cardiac problem. But kids should be taken for regular medical checkups,” says Dr Suranjit Chatterjee of Apollo Hospital.
Biswadip’s mother says her son didn't get these checkups done because the father was afraid the bruises on his body would lead to uncomfortable questions.
The boy had also tried to run away from home before, perhaps when the pressure got too much.
“The optimum has to be fixed by the coach, under whom the trainee is being trained. The coach knows his physical abilities, mental capabilities, enduring power and to what extent can he (the player) take the load,” says Vice President of Bengal TT Association, Gopinath Ghosh.
Biswadip's case also begs inevitable comparison with the marathon sensation Budhia. But parental pressure isn't just confined to sports.
“There is a kind of brainwash that takes place where the child loses objectivity over what’s happening. So what happens to the child is that he/she just goes along,” says psychologist, Madhumati Singh.
Biswadip was a Calcutta District champion in 2005. He was part of the team that won a medal for Bengal in the cadet sub-junior national table tennis championship in Chennai the year before.
But his obvious talent couldn't stave off parental pressure, perhaps a lesson for many parents who keep ambition levels for their talented children at an unachievable position.
Source : IBNLIVE
In a case that can best be described as an outcome of excessive expectations and parental pressure, 14-year-old Biswadip Bhattacharya – a table tennis protégé from Kolkata - died on Monday after several hours of grueling practice sessions.
Biswadip’s father, allegedly a hard taskmaster, is now being blamed for the sportstar’s untimely death.
"His father used to hit him everytime he lost a match. He wanted him to be a champion always. I used to tell him to hit me instead of my son but he wouldn't listen," says Biswadip’s mother Papia Bhattacharya.
Biswadip - who was the state table tennis champ - collapsed and died soon after he was allegedly hit on the head by his father for not performing to several hours of non-stop practice.
His sister Neha Bhattacharya also blames their father for Biswadip's death. "He used to hit us if we didn't play well," says Neha.
On the fateful day, the brother-sister duo started practice at 0730 hrs (IST).
After a few hours, Biswadip complained of uneasiness and wanted to stop.
But his father forced him into continuing till past noon, hitting him whenever he missed a shot.
Finally, an exhausted Biswadip collapsed and was declared dead when he was rushed to a nearby hospital.
So what could have been the reason for an seemingly fit teenager to collapse?
“He could have had a cardiac problem. But kids should be taken for regular medical checkups,” says Dr Suranjit Chatterjee of Apollo Hospital.
Biswadip’s mother says her son didn't get these checkups done because the father was afraid the bruises on his body would lead to uncomfortable questions.
The boy had also tried to run away from home before, perhaps when the pressure got too much.
“The optimum has to be fixed by the coach, under whom the trainee is being trained. The coach knows his physical abilities, mental capabilities, enduring power and to what extent can he (the player) take the load,” says Vice President of Bengal TT Association, Gopinath Ghosh.
Biswadip's case also begs inevitable comparison with the marathon sensation Budhia. But parental pressure isn't just confined to sports.
“There is a kind of brainwash that takes place where the child loses objectivity over what’s happening. So what happens to the child is that he/she just goes along,” says psychologist, Madhumati Singh.
Biswadip was a Calcutta District champion in 2005. He was part of the team that won a medal for Bengal in the cadet sub-junior national table tennis championship in Chennai the year before.
But his obvious talent couldn't stave off parental pressure, perhaps a lesson for many parents who keep ambition levels for their talented children at an unachievable position.
Source : IBNLIVE