It is indeed a real pleasure to know that the neighborhood sister has rose to become one of the top notch gymnast at the global level and the best, India has ever produced. Knowing her and her family personally since my birth, it has been a proud privilege to see her overcome one hurdle, after the other, culminating into a globally respectable athlete. Champions are produced only when the surrounding is full of challenges, as they see those challenges as opportunities. Dipa or Tina as we fondly call her in Ujan Abhoynagar, Agartala, India had to overcome challenges which could have been classified as insurmountable by even the masses. She took every challenge as a platform to raise her bar, and gradually her never say die spirit, full of determination started to make her realize her rea latent potential. Hailing from one of the smallest landlocked state of India, Tripura, Dipa had only her weight lifting coach father as inspiration and the rest was her perspiration. One can understand the level of perspiration she had to drop, as India had never been in the world of Gymnastic, ruled by the Russians, Chinese, Scandinavians, Americans to name a few. The absence of proper coaching facilities, sponsor at the beginning didn't deter her to meander away from her focused dream as every hurdle were metamorphosed into opportunities, solely on the basis of self determination, motivation, perseverance and sky high spirits. Even after she became a sought after personality at the national and the global stage, her feet was firmly etched on the ground, courtesy, the lessons imbibed by her family and the coach. Her simple demeanor is a lesson for many a successful personalities who went astray, as they could not manage their success when it went over their head.
The Arjuna awardee scaled one heights after another and now, when she has qualified for the finals of the vault in Rio Olympics (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/rio-2016-olympics/india-in-olympics-2016/gymnastics/Rio-Games-Dipa-Karmakar-qualifies-for-vault-finals-in-Olympics/articleshow/53591284.cms ), yours truly, made a visit to her home, only to see her parents, relatives and well-wishers glued to the television set with their hands folded and prayers in their lips. Their expectation like any other Tripuraites and Indians was palpable, as the country of a billion plus people was looking forward to handful few to secure medals for the country and Dipa is right there at the top to fulfill that dream of all Indians.
Looking back into her career, one can safely present it as a case study on success based on methodical planning, execution, hard work, sincerity, determination and perseverance. We are proud of your achievements, Dipa, alias, Tina. She is Tripura's Pride and India's Joy!
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