Dipa Karmakar is the best gymnast ever to come out of India. She has brought gymnastics to the forefront in India with her skills and extraordinary hard work. The government of India has recognised her talents and achievements by bestowing the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award in India, upon her. She has also been conferred with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award for her distinguishing achievements in the gymnastics world. Dipa Karmakar has opened up new opportunities for all aspiring gymnasts in India. She has become a role model for many sportspersons across the globe who do not have the resources but do have an unrelenting determination to be the best. Dipa has excelled in gymnasts over the years and is finally reaching an age where she will soon say goodbye to the sport that she loves. However, even after retirement, she would be remembered as a legend for India in gymnastics.
6 Fascinating Facts You Need to Know About Dipa Karmakar!
1. Dipa Karmakar is the first Indian gymnast to compete at the Olympics
Dipa Karmakar is the first Indian female gymnast to compete at the Olympics. She achieved the feat by competing at the 2006 Summer Olympics in Rio De Janeiro. It was after a gap of 52 years that an Indian gymnast competed in the Olympics. Dipa lost a medal at the 2016 Olympics by just 0.15 points, and it led her to be lauded as the face of gymnastics in India.
2. Dipa Karmakar had flat feet
Dipa Karmakar had flat feet in her childhood when she first started practising gymnastics. Suffering from flat feet is considered an unfavourable trait in the gymnastics world. Nevertheless, she was determined to make a name for herself in gymnastics and ultimately managed to develop an arch in her foot after extensive training. Dipa started practising gymnast at the young age of 6 and has been coached by Bishweshwar Nandi and Soma Nandi.
3. Dipa Karmakar is one of the five women in the world to land the Produnova Vault
Produnova Vault is also called the Vaault of Death in gymnastics. Only four women had managed to land this highly difficult vault before Dipa Karmakar. She landed the Prudunova Vault in the finals of the Rio De Janeiro Olympics in 2016. Her astonishing performance almost earned her an Olympic medal.
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4. Dipa Karmakar has represented India in various worldwide competitions
Dipa Karmakar represented India in the 2014 Commonwealth Games, the 2015 Asian Gymnastics Championships, the 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championship, the 2016 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, the 2016 Olympics and the 2018 FIG Artistic Gymnastic World Challenge Cup. No other Indian gymnast has ever represented India in so many global events as she has.
5. Dipa Karmakar is the first Indian female gymnast to win a medal at Commonwealth Games
Dipa Karmakar is the first ever Indian female gymnast to win a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games. She achieved the historic feat at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Following this, she went on to win a bronze medal at the Asian Gymnastics Championship.
6. Dipa Karmakar is the first Indian gymnast to win a gold medal at a global event
Dipa Karmakar became the first Indian gymnast to win a gold medal at a global event when she finished at the top spot in the 2018 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Challenge Cup at Mersin, Turkey. No other Indian has ever replicated this achievement so far. She is a gem in the field of gymnastics who should be lauded more in the popular culture in India.