Former Indian captain Kapil Dev has triggered controversy with his unreasonable statement on mental health. It was during an event on World Mental Health Day, October 10, that the 1983-World Cup captain commented on the young generation facing depression, pressure, and other concerns about their mental well-being.
Students’ mental health
In the now-viral interview, the former cricketer criticized today’s generation on how and why students from classes 10 and 12 complain of having depression… “They study in air-conditioned schools wherein parents pay their children’s fees, teachers can’t physically punish them (unlike previous times),” he joked and questioned how, despite these facilities, youngsters can face depression.
Dev further explained the situation with an example of cricket, “I hear a lot of times on TV that there’s a lot of pressure on IPL players. Then I have only one thing to say: don’t play. If a player has passion, then there will be no pressure. I can’t understand these American words, like ‘pressure’ and ‘depression’. I come from a farming background, we played because we enjoyed the game.”
Nailed it ???? @therealkapildev pic.twitter.com/Wbs86nyEQh
— Aces Middle East (@Aces_sports) October 8, 2022
Coming to the students, the 63-year-old urged students to change ‘pressure into pleasure’. The audience at the event clapped enthusiastically at Dev’s remarks.
As soon as the clip went viral on the internet, people went outrageous. The comment section saw several reactions from users who found the approach wrong.
Twitter Reactions
Disappointing from Kapil Dev. So out of touch with reality. What’s more worrying is the laughs and applause that follow. https://t.co/USmUEiXYZE
— Darren Caldeira (@darrencaldeira) October 9, 2022
If Kapil Dev doesn't understand the word "depression", he should count himself very lucky. https://t.co/1YzOWCtCC6
— KASHISH (@crickashish217) October 9, 2022
Kapil Dev may have not cracked under pressure but encouraging others, be it cricketers or students appearing for exams to bottle up stress, sends out a dangerous message. Next time he needs to think before talking on subjects he is not an expert on. https://t.co/uNdOnkxYOv
— Nihal Koshie (@nkoshie) October 10, 2022
Classic gaslighting from Kapil Dev here.
I don't understand something and therefore it doesn't exist.
Also,it seems that Depression is an American word and India k mardangi se bhare logon ko kahan hota hai depression. https://t.co/w3bbDjx6ow
— Akash Kumar Jha (@Akashkumarjha14) October 9, 2022
Mr Kapil Dev is a great sportsman and he’ll remain one regardless of this “Pressure”video but you’re time & current times are incomparable sir. We very respectfully disagree ?
— Gulshan Devaiah (@gulshandevaiah) October 9, 2022
Spoke like a typical Indian uncle
— Vaibhav Manocha (@BeingMinchu) October 9, 2022
Kapil Dev is a boomer uncle.
— Vishnu Prasad (@tweets_vp) October 11, 2022
Kapil Dev dismissing depression like it doesn’t exist is one thing. The crowd cheering and laughing speaks volumes of this country’s understanding of mental health. It’s the same people who say, “It’s just in your head.” https://t.co/jNu16yfDQW
— Mirza Arif Beg (@Iammirzaarif) October 10, 2022
