The Price of Patriarchy: A Daughter’s Life
Taunted for living off his daughter’s income, a man shot and killed 25-year-old Radhika Yadav, a state-level tennis player, because she refused to shut down the tennis academy she ran
Radhika Yadav, a 25-year-old state-level tennis player, was shot dead by her father at their Gurugram residence on Thursday. According to police, Deepak Yadav, 49, confessed to the murder. He said he had been mocked in his native village of Wazirabad for living off his daughter’s earnings and had repeatedly urged her to shut down the tennis academy she ran.
The crime has sparked national outrage, raising uncomfortable but necessary questions about patriarchy, control, and toxic masculinity.
A Patriarchal Society
The inhuman act of a father killing his own daughter has brought one burning question to the forefront yet again: Are we still a patriarchal society?
“Yes. We are, we were, and unless there is deep introspection and change, we will continue to be,” says Rajyogi Brahma Kumar Nikunj Ji, spiritual educator and columnist.
“Talking about gender equality is one thing. Practising it at home is another. The horrific murder of a young and dynamic sportsperson is not just a personal tragedy—it’s a mirror reflecting a deep societal sickness,” he says.
“Children may be born to us, but they are not our possessions. Once they grow up, they have every right to make their own choices, pursue their own goals, and live on their terms.”
Toxic Mindsets
“This toxic idea that a man’s respect depends solely on being the breadwinner, or that a daughter’s success undermines her father’s standing, is deeply flawed,” he says.
“Financial interdependence within families is not shameful. What is shameful is resorting to violence to protect a fragile ego. If we are to call ourselves a civil society, we must move urgently towards conscious parenting, emotional maturity, and true gender equality—not just in law, but in thought,” he adds.
Society’s Sick Mental Health
People often see extreme acts as isolated incidents. But loss of control over one’s emotions or actions is precisely what defines psychological instability, says Dr Jyoti Kapoor, consultant psychiatrist and founder-director of Manasthali Wellness. “Just as a normal immune response can go haywire and cause severe allergic reactions, normal emotions like anger can spiral into violent acts. That’s a sign of deeper mental or emotional instability,” she says.
“In our society, children are too often seen as extensions of their parents—agents of fulfilling parental expectations, not individuals with independent dreams. The patriarchal mindset is so deeply ingrained that when a daughter resists traditional roles, it’s seen as betrayal. From khap panchayats enforcing regressive diktats to families committing ‘honour killings,’ we continue to see how deeply mental health and patriarchy are entangled. This case is not just about a disturbed father—it reflects a disturbed society.”
