Asia Cup Winnings Donated to Flood Victims: Hardik Singh Adopts Affected Family

26-year-old Hardik has adopted a family from Ramdas village,

Hockey star Hardik Singh was shocked by the devastation he witnessed in a village near the Ravi river, approximately 100 kilometres from Jalandhar. He realised the reality was far more painful than depicted in media reports. Following India's Asia Cup victory, Hardik decided to donate his entire prize money and match bonuses to help flood victims in Punjab.

The 26-year-old Hardik adopted a family from Ramdas village, Ajnala. Gurshaan Singh's home was completely destroyed in the floods, forcing him, his mother, and two young children to live in a tent 60 metres from their former residence. Overwhelmed by their plight, Hardik committed to rebuilding their home and providing furniture, fans, and a television.

Hardik stated, "Two young children had no roof over their heads. When I arrived, Gurshaan was out serving others. If this had happened to me, I might have stayed home, dejected. But seeing Gurshaan continue to help others despite losing his own home was truly inspiring."

For almost two weeks, Hardik and his team were completely isolated from the world, focused on winning the Asia Cup – a crucial tournament also serving as a 2026 World Cup qualifier. Hardik played brilliantly, scoring crucial goals, including a pivotal one in the quarter-final against Malaysia, propelling the team to the final. India ultimately defeated South Korea 4-1, winning the title after eight years.

However, during this time, incessant rain wreaked havoc in Punjab. Over 50 people lost their lives, and approximately 1,900 villages were severely affected. Hardik mentions that even while sweating it out on the field, he kept track of the situation in Punjab through social media videos.

Upon returning home, he decided to tour the state and help those in need. Hardik said, "For kilometres, people were sleeping on roads in tents. Even basic necessities like food and drinking water were scarce." The NGO Initiators of Change connected Hardik with Gurshaan's family. They explained, "This family has been living in a tent for the past 10 days. Sometimes someone gives them food, sometimes other necessities. They have nothing left."

Recalling a personal incident, Hardik shared, "Four days ago, on the morning of a match, my mother sent me a short video of water flooding our home. It was just a pipeline issue, nothing major, but I panicked. Imagine what those thousands who lost their homes and livelihoods must be going through."

Although Indian hockey players don't receive match fees for playing for the country, Hockey India announced in 2022 that players would receive a ₹50,000 bonus for each win. The Asia Cup victory also brought government awards.

Hardik concluded, "I will use all this money for Gurshaan and his family. Otherwise, I might have bought a watch or something. But if this money can bring a little light into someone's life, that's the real satisfaction. That's humanity, nothing else."