Agartala, Aug. 1:
Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha on Saturday hailed judoka Asmita Dey’s historic Commonwealth Games gold medal, saying her achievement had brought immense pride to Tripura and would inspire more youngsters across the state to pursue sports.
Reacting to Asmita’s feat, Dr. Saha speaking to reporters in the sideline of a blood donation camp said that he had already congratulated the South Tripura’s Belonia-born judoka after learning of her victory while returning from her home district.
He recalled that he had known and recognised Asmita’s talent earlier and had felicitated her in the past.
“Today, a girl from Belonia in South Tripura has brought immense glory to the state by winning a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. We are truly delighted and proud of her achievement,” the Chief Minister said.
Drawing a parallel with Olympian gymnast Dipa Karmakar, Dr. Saha said Asmita’s success would motivate many more young boys and girls in Tripura to take up sports, particularly judo.
“Just as Dipa Karmakar inspired countless youngsters to believe that sporting excellence could earn international recognition, Asmita’s remarkable achievement in judo will encourage another generation of athletes. I am confident that many more talented sportspersons will emerge from Tripura,” he said.
The Chief Minister reiterated that the state government remained committed to nurturing sporting talent and expressed hope that more athletes from Tripura would achieve success on the international stage.
Responding to a question on Asmita’s employment, Dr. Saha said the judoka had accepted a job offered by the Uttar Pradesh government and that the decision was entirely hers.
“She has received an appointment in Uttar Pradesh. It is her decision, and she will have better exposure there. If, in future, she wishes to serve in Tripura, we can certainly consider it. There will be no difficulty from our side,” he said.
Dr. Saha extended his congratulations to Asmita on behalf of the people of Tripura and the state government, expressing hope that her achievement would inspire many more young athletes to excel and bring further laurels to the state and the country.
