Kapurthala girl selected for global basketball camp

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, July 25

Harsimran Kaur (15), a resident of Kapurthala, has been selected from the state for Basketball without Borders Asia, a skill camp for top young players from the region.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) will be hosting the 10th Basketball Without Borders Asia camp in Tokyo, Japan, from August 14-17.

Sukhdev Singh Dhami, Harsimran’s father, is an elated man. He said only two players, including his daughter, had been chosen for the camp.

His both daughters are basketball players and Harsimran had recently attended a global camp of the NBA Academy and the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA).

The NBA had selected four girls from India — one of them was Harsimran.

Besides, she was also got selected for a national coaching camp of the Indian U18 women’s basketball team that will be held from July 26-August 19. The camp is being held for the preparation for the 3x3 U18 FIBA Asia Cup, to be held in Malaysia from August 22-24.

Sukhdev Singh said what else a father needs. But he has a story to share.

“When my second daughter was born, many expressed dissatisfaction and said a boy should had been born instead. But I never thought that way. I always treated both my daughters as sons,” he said, adding  that he had been providing coaching to his daughters since the beginning.

Olympics is my dream, says Harsimran

Harsimran Kaur (15), while earlier talking to The Tribune had said: “My ultimate goal is to play for India in the Olympics. Till now, our country has not made it to that level but I wish that someday, I will get a chance to play in the Olympics.”

Her life has been similar to the story of Hindi flick ‘Dangal’. Sharing the story, Harsimran had said: “I have a younger sister who also plays basketball and my father, who is also a basketball player, gives us training the same way one has seen in ‘Dangal’. He is strict with us and this is the reason why I have reached where I am today.”

Harsimran said her father makes sure that they did not miss the training even for a day.

“Also, he is particular about our diet and practice,” she said.

She also expressed her desire to receive the Arjuna Award one day.

“I want to get coaching in America and represent India from there. This is my dream,” Harsimran Kaur added.