Tripura CM honours Commonwealth gold medallist Asmita Dey with cash, land

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on August 12 felicitated Commonwealth Games gold medallist Asmita Dey, describing her achievement as a matter of pride for the state and the country.

At a reception organised by the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports at Rabindra Bhavan, Saha handed Dey a cheque for Rs 10 lakh. The state government also provided her family with a land allotment document for the construction of a house.

Dey, who hails from Sonaichari village in South Tripura’s Belonia subdivision, became the first Indian judoka to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. Saha said her achievement had added another name to Tripura’s sporting history after gymnast Deepa Karmakar, who is widely known as the state’s “Golden Girl”.

The Chief Minister also recalled the financial and personal difficulties faced by Dey’s family. He said the government decided to allot land after learning about their housing problems.

Although Dey is currently serving under the Home Department of Uttar Pradesh, Saha said the Tripura government would continue to support her.

Saha also highlighted the expansion of sports infrastructure in the state, pointing to the development of synthetic football and hockey fields, upgraded stadiums and other facilities aimed at providing better opportunities to athletes.

He said the government was also recognising sportspersons by naming sports infrastructure after prominent athletes, including those who have passed away, to keep their contributions alive for future generations.

The Chief Minister recalled the achievements of Arjuna Awardees Montu Debnath, Kalpana Debnath and Somdev Debbarman.

Addressing students at the event, Saha stressed that education alone was not enough for a person’s overall development. “A healthy mind lives in a healthy body,” he said, urging students to give equal importance to sports and academics.

He said Tripura had considerable sporting talent and that sports had emerged as a viable career option for young people.

Sports Minister Tinku Roy, Agartala Municipal Corporation Mayor and MLA Dipak Majumder, Youth Affairs and Sports Department Secretary Tapas Roy, Director L. Darlong and others attended the event.