A heart-breaking story of online gaming addiction has come to light, showing the devastating impact of this growing menace among India's youth. Himanshu Sharma, a 22-year-old from Bihar, shared his tragic story about how he accumulated a debt of ₹96 lakh due to online gaming, which led to his family disowning him.
Himanshu Sharma's story, first reported by News 18 and was later shared in a podcast interview with Shalini Kapoor Tiwari.
In the emotional interview with Shalini, Himanshu revealed how his addiction began with innocuous team-building games costing ₹49, gradually escalating to gambling apps played among friends. Despite having no other vices, Himanshu's online gaming habit consumed his life.
Scored an impressive 98% percentile in the JEE
A promising student, Himanshu had scored an impressive 98% percentile in the JEE intermediate exams, bringing joy to his family. However, his addiction led him to squander his admission money, ruining his father's dreams for his future.
His mother was forced to file an affidavit in court, disowning him.
The situation worsened when Himanshu's family discovered his debt. "Not even my mother or brother speaks to me now," Himanshu said, sobbing. "I feel that even if I die on the road, no one will come to my rescue."
Television advertisements promote such online games
Himanshu blames television advertisements promoting online games for luring him into this destructive habit. In the podcast with Shalini, he shared the painful details of his downfall.
"My father had many dreams for me, but I ran away with the admission money. I don't blame my mother for disowning me; I crossed all lines," Himanshu said.
Himanshu revealed that he used the 'Mahadev App', an online betting platform that enabled gambling on various games, including poker, card games, badminton, tennis, football, and cricket.
This addiction led him to lose his education funds, destroy his relationships, and even miss his father's last rites. "My father told me, 'You have ruined me so much that please don't come when I'm on my last death bed to even give me water'," Himanshu recalled, overcome with emotion.
Watch the video here:
Statistics:
- India has over 400 million gamers, with 70% under the age of 24.
- Online gaming addiction affects 15-20% of Indian gamers.
- The Indian government has received numerous complaints about online gaming-related financial frauds and suicides.
This disturbing case highlights the need for urgent action against online gaming addiction, which is ruining the lives of many young Indians. Parents, policymakers, and the gaming industry must work together to address this issue and prevent such tragedies.
