BENGALURU: Devaraj NT, 43, a pani puri vendor, cannot believe his son is gone. “His eyes used to light up when he spoke about cricket,” Devaraj said, voice trembling. “Now, they are shut forever and my world has crashed.”
His son, Manoj Kumar, was just 18. A second-year BBM student at Presidency College, Manoj went to see his favourite team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, celebrate their historic IPL win. He did not return alive.
Devaraj, inconsolable, remembers his son as a dreamer with a heart full of ambition. “He grew up watching me work day and night, trying to make ends meet. He always said he wanted to study well, earn, and make our lives easier. My lovely son… he wanted to do so much,” he said.
Manoj went to the stadium with three of his neighbourhood friends. “They told me it was Manoj who convinced them to go,” Devaraj said. “I wish he hadn’t gone.”
Cricket wasn’t just a pastime for Manoj; it was passion, joy, and an escape. “He knew every detail about the game, every player, every statistic. He would light up while watching matches, cheering like his life depended on it. He found happiness in it. That love it took him away from me.”
Now, with his dreams shattered, Devaraj is left with only memories of a bright, cheerful boy with glittering eyes and a heart full of promise. “No father should ever have to see his child like this,” he said.