An Indian teenager named Tarishi Jain was victim to the gruesome terror attacks on a posh cafe in Dhaka last week. A native of Firozabad in Uttar Pradesh, she was living in Bangladesh since her childhood move from Singapore. The 19-year old was also harbouring dreams of becoming a professional badminton player, post her college education. However, a recent ligament injury had kept her out of the sport for a month.
Tarishi’s cousin Saloni said, “Her passion for badminton never reduced over the years. It was more of a catalyst to her doing well in life. Hence, she had planned of taking it up seriously. She was a known member in the Dhaka badminton circuit, where she won several club, state and national (junior) level gold medals. I remember her telling me how she would like to pursue it properly, after she is done with college.”
She added, “She started playing seriously in the past four to five years, when she realised the existence of a badminton circuit here in Dhaka. Otherwise her interest always there, she has won several national junior tournaments as well. She was an all-round in both academics and sport.” She won the national junior club gold medal aged just 16 in Dhaka.
Tarishi was set to begin her undergraduate education at the Moradabad College of MBBS. Saloni had texted her, wishing her on making the cut-off. Tarishi did her schooling from the American International School in Dhaka.
Saloni said, “We immediately tweeted to Sushma Swaraj, that we are helpless and don’t know about the state there, after finding out about the situation. As the situation went by, we realised that the chances were slim.”
She was in touch with us during the time of the attack: Tarishi’s uncle
Tarishi was among 18 foreign nationals who were gunned down at the Holy Artisan Cafe. Apart from being shot, most bodies were also massacred with machetes. Her body was flown into Delhi yesterday, with last rites being conducted in Gurgaon instead of Firozabad.
She was killed along with two of her friends Faraz Hossain and Abinta Kabir. A heroic story is also emerging from hostage accounts of Faraz choosing to stay back with his friends, instead of leaving when he was given the chance. Social media has also been actively sharing the story of defiance of Faraz, who was studying in Atlanta, USA.
Tarishi’s uncle Kishen Jain also revealed that she had called, when the attack was taking place. He said, “She called her father telling her that she was scared that they would all be killed. However, she had disconnected immediately.”
Humanity is mourning yet another self-inflicted concussion. Tarishi’s departure is a major loss not only to India’s sporting landscape, but also to its brighter future.
