Judoka Asmita Dey felicitated in Tripura after Commonwealth Games gold

Agartala: Asmita Dey of Tripura, who became the first Indian judoka to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, was accorded a grand felicitation by the state government here on Wednesday.

A cheque of Rs 10 lakh was also handed over to Dey, who produced a spirited comeback to clinch the women's -48kg title, defeating Canada's Heidi Quach in a dramatic golden score contest in Glasgow recently.

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The 23-year-old judoka was also allotted a piece of land for building a house in the state capital Agartala, Chief Minister Manik Saha said while addressing the gathering.

"The journey from an obscure village in South Tripura to a podium finish at Glasgow was a race against time. Her father was a cycle mechanic at Sonaichari. Against all odds, she stood firm on her mission and achieved phenomenal success for the country," he said.

The chief minister said she had met him at Tripura Bhavan in New Delhi when she returned from the Commonwealth Games after winning the gold medal and wanted to know how the state could help her.

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"During the meeting, Asmita revealed she desperately wanted a house in Agartala. I promised to fulfil her wish, and today a piece of land has been allotted to her," he said.

Asserting that Asmita's success will inspire the state's young generation, the chief minister exhorted her to remain focused on her mission for the Asian Games.

"I urge Asmita to remain alert, particularly about food, because she has to pass through a stringent dope test before joining the prestigious Asian Games. We believe she will shine again in the Asian Games by winning a medal for the country," he said.

Youth Affairs & Sports Minister Tinku Roy, Agartala Mayor Dipak Majumder and Arjuna awardee gymnast Dipa Karmakar were among those present at the event.